Bank of the Sierra Awards $25K in Grants to Non-Profits in Coastal Markets During Fourth Quarter
February 25, 2019
Porterville, CA – Bank of the Sierra announced today that $25,000 was given to seven non-profits in the bank’s coastal markets during the fourth quarter. The bank awards $1,000-$5,000 grants to 15-20 non-profit organizations each quarter as part of its Sierra Grant program. Overall in the fourth quarter, Bank of the Sierra awarded a total of $59,000 to non-profits in eight counties it serves.
RISE San Luis Obispo County will use a Sierra Grant to support participation in Camp HOPE America. This camping and mentoring program offers healing to children and adults who have been impacted by family violence. Grant funds will pay for accommodations, meals, and programs for several campers, counselors, site coordinators, and more.
A Sierra Grant will help support Project Learn, an after-school academic program from the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley. The program offers homework help and tutoring, STEAM programs, writing activities, mentoring, and more. The Boys & Girls Club estimates that Project Learn will benefit around 1,700 at-risk youth within a year.
Grant funds will also go to the Accelerated Academic Program for Leadership and Enrichment (AAPLE) in Santa Barbara County. A Sierra Grant will cover the costs for several low-income students to attend AAPLE’s challenging and unique four-year academic and leadership academy. According to AAPLE, seniors that graduated from its program last year were offered over $5.1 million in scholarships.
“We’re so glad we can support these wonderful non-profits that do so much for our communities,” said Kevin McPhaill, Bank of the Sierra President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Sierra Grant program is just one of many ways Bank of the Sierra works to make every community we’re part of better.”
About the Sierra Grant Program
Since its inception in 2004 the Sierra Grant Program has been responsible for donating over two 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 42nd 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 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.
