Bank of the Sierra Provides COVID-19 Funding Through Sierra Grant Program, Awards $39K to Central Valley Nonprofits During Third Quarter
November 16, 2020
Porterville, Calif. – Bank of the Sierra announced today that $39,000 was given to 11 nonprofits in the Central Valley during the third quarter. The Bank will continue to prioritize funding to nonprofit organizations that are fighting or have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through its Sierra Grant Program. Bank of the Sierra awards $1,000-$5,000 grants to 15-25 nonprofit organizations each quarter as part of the program. Overall in the third quarter, the Bank awarded a total of $54,500 to nonprofits in the eight counties it serves.
St. Anne’s Food Bank serves the Tulare County communities of Porterville, Lindsay, Terra Bella, Strathmore, and Springville. The volunteer-run organization has seen a substantial increase in families in need of food due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now serving around 700 to 800 families each month. A Sierra Grant will go towards the purchase of a large, three-door refrigerator to store more perishable food due to increased demand.
Hands in the Community aids children, families, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, and elderly people in need throughout Tulare, Kings, and Fresno counties. The organization is concerned about losing funding from businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The costs of over 50 projects, including new ramps and modified entryways and bathrooms for people with disabilities, house repairs and improvements, and upgraded computer equipment will be partially offset with a Sierra Grant.
Bags4Kids provides comfort bags filled with books, teddy bears, school supplies, clothes, blankets, and more to Kern and Los Angeles County low-income families and foster children who have recently become displaced from their homes. The nonprofit plans to donate bags to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Sierra Grant will help pay for the supplies and items used to fill the comfort bags.
“Our Sierra Grant Program is here to help the wonderful community nonprofits that are fighting against the coronavirus pandemic,” said Kevin McPhaill, Bank of the Sierra President and Chief Executive Officer. “We strongly encourage our local nonprofits to apply for a Sierra Grant if they have been impacted by COVID-19.”
About the Sierra Grant Program
Since its inception in 2004, the Sierra Grant Program has been responsible for donating over $2.4 million to organizations that improve local communities. Nonprofits 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 website at bankofthesierra.com/sierragrant.
About Bank of the Sierra
Bank of the Sierra is in its 43rd 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 a loan production office and an online branch and provides specialized lending services through an agricultural credit center and an SBA center. Bank of the Sierra is recognized as one of the strongest and top-performing community banks in the country with a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial.
