Bank of the Sierra Awards $18K in Grants to Non-Profits in Coastal Markets during Third Quarter
November 21, 2018
Porterville, CA – Bank of the Sierra announced today that $18,000 was given to seven non-profits in the bank’s coastal markets during the third quarter. The bank awards $1,000-$5,000 grants to 15-20 local non-profit organizations each quarter as part of its Sierra Grant program. Overall in the third quarter, Bank of the Sierra awarded $54,500 to non-profits within the bank’s eight-county, 40-branch footprint.
The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of San Luis Obispo County will use its Sierra Grant to recruit, train and supervise volunteers who advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers make recommendations in court on behalf of the children regarding their living environment, physical well-being, educational progress and more. Since most children they support are living in foster care, CASA’s goal is help ensure that each child grows up in a safe, nurturing and permanent home.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme will use Sierra Grant funds to support five core program areas: Education and Career Development, Character and Leadership, Health and Life Skills, the Arts and Sports, Fitness and Recreation. The organization also ensures a programmatic focus of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Agriculture, and Math) in order to teach 21st century skills to Oxnard youth.
Grant funds will be used by Transitional Food and Shelter to provide shelter and supportive casework to those in need. The organization provides temporary emergency around-the-clock shelter, food and intensive casework services for medically fragile and terminally ill homeless people in San Luis Obispo County. All of the non-profit’s clients are referred by hospitals or social service agencies.
A Sierra Grant will help support renovation of the Lompoc Community Track & Field at 55-year-old Huyck Stadium, next to Lompoc High School. Planned upgrades include a nine-lane synthetic polyurethane track and an artificial turf field. Although the facility is owned by the local school district, after renovation the stadium will be made available for community use for the first time in its history.
“The Sierra Grant program is fantastic because it allows us to give back to the communities that have given so much to us!“ said Kevin McPhaill, Bank of the Sierra President and Chief Executive Officer. “We know these excellent organizations are devoted to our communities, and we’re thrilled to help.”
About the Sierra Grant Program
Since its inception in 2004 the Sierra Grant Program has been responsible for donating over 1.9 million dollars to organizations that improve local communities. Non-profits who wish to apply for a Sierra Grant can pick up an instructional brochure at any Bank of the Sierra branch, or visit the bank’s web site at www.bankofthesierra.com/resources/sierra-grant-program.
About Bank of the Sierra
Bank of the Sierra is in its 41st year of operations and is the largest independent bank headquartered in the South San Joaquin Valley. Bank of the Sierra is a community-centric regional bank, which offers a full range of retail and commercial banking services with full-service branches located within the counties of Tulare, Kern, Kings, Fresno, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. The bank also maintains an online branch, and provides specialized lending services through an agricultural credit center, a real estate industries center and an SBA center. In 2018, Bank of the Sierra was recognized as one of the strongest and top-performing community banks in the country, with a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial and a Sm-All Star award from Sandler O’Neill.
