Bank of the Sierra Provides COVID-19 Funding Through Sierra Grant Program, Awards Over $26K to Coastal and Southern California Nonprofits During First Quarter
May 11, 2020
Porterville, Calif. – Bank of the Sierra announced today that $26,500 was given to 10 nonprofits in the Bank’s Central Coast and Southern California markets during the first quarter. The Bank also announced that it will 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 first quarter, Bank of the Sierra awarded a total of $60,000 to nonprofits in the eight counties it serves.
A Sierra Grant was awarded to El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO). Due to a shelter-in-place order, ECHO had to change its meals program for homeless clients to pre-packaged dinners rather than a communal meal. The organization is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services (OES) to ensure the safety of its residents, staff, and volunteers.
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics received a Sierra Grant to help continue providing healthcare services to low-income, medically underserved, unemployed, and homeless individuals in Santa Barbara County. The organization’s goal is to provide high quality and affordable healthcare to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. It has had to reschedule fundraising events as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation is currently caring for COVID-19 patients in Santa Barbara County. It will use its Sierra Grant to pay for medical devices, personal protective equipment, patient beds, and other necessities. Additional staff and resources will be directed to fighting COVID-19, and a new patient care area within the hospital has been created.
“We want to help our communities in the fight against COVID-19, and we knew the Sierra Grant Program would be the perfect way to do it,” said Kevin McPhaill, Bank of the Sierra President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re in this together!”
About the Sierra Grant Program
Since its inception in 2004, the Sierra Grant Program has been responsible for donating over $2.2 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.
