Tag: 3BL

KEY TAKEAWAYS

$2 million grant deepens Comcast’s extensive work to advance digital equity and provide communities with the resources needed for jobs of today and tomorrow.The Hidden Genius Project has provided mentorship, career planning and tech skills training to hundreds of Black male high school youth through their Intensive Immersion Program.

PHILADELPHIA, March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Comcast NBCUniversal announced a new $2 million grant to The Hidden Genius Project, furthering the company’s longstanding efforts to advance economic mobility through critical digital skills building.

A globally recognized nonprofit, The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities. Comcast’s funding, which will be distributed over two years, will support The Hidden Genius Project’s expansion to new markets in Atlanta and Chicago this year.

Representation within the tech sector continues to be starkly inequitable. Black Americans occupy just 7% of tech jobs, although they account for 14% of the national population. Founded in 2012, The Hidden Genius Project has provided mentorship, career planning and tech skills training to hundreds of Black male high school youth in Oakland, Richmond and Los Angeles, CA, and Detroit, MI through their Intensive Immersion Program. Program participants have a 98% high school graduation rate with 95% entering post-secondary education and over 40% of alumni studying computer science or related fields. Building on this track record, Comcast’s funding will help even more former program participants gain post-secondary education and support the development of Genius Lab, an innovative new curriculum for young people of color to gain computer science, software development and entrepreneurship skills.

“Our continued partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal will equip us to engage even more Black youth with the skills, experiences, and networks to find their way into family-sustaining career pathways, including the tech sector,” said Brandon Nicholson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of The Hidden Genius Project. “With ample access, our young people regularly realize their potential to pursue meaningful and exciting pathways, and subsequently create future opportunities not only for themselves, but also their entire community.”

“As the lack of digital skills continues to be a determinant of future economic opportunity, we must ensure that young Black men have access to the resources and programming that will put them on a path to success in our digital economy,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “For years, The Hidden Genius Project has proven to be a key partner in helping young people acquire the knowledge and resources needed to ensure long-term upward mobility and create generational change.”

“Comcast is proud to deepen our commitment to help empower these Geniuses and future leaders pave the way to even greater innovation and equity within the tech sector and beyond.”
– DALILA WILSON-SCOTT

This grant announcement marks the continuation of Comcast’s seven-year partnership with The Hidden Genius Project, which has enabled programmatic, volunteer and outreach collaboration in local communities across the country. The announcement is also a part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to reach tens of millions of people in order to advance digital equity and help create a future of unlimited possibilities.

Goal 11 of Agenda 2030 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable – reminds us that special attention needs to be paid to urban regeneration. A challenge that requires a cultural change to government, an interdisciplinary approach, and an innovative vision.

Going in this direction is the international Reinventing Cities competition promoted annually by C40 Cities, the network of mayors of 100 leading global cities working together to define the actions needed to address the climate crisis.

The call invites architects, developers, and community members to create sustainable projects that serve local contexts. A stimulus to change the way cities are designed by working to promote actions aimed at managing energy resources, greenery, mobility, and public and private buildings differently. It also means addressing welfare services, digitalization, and combating inequality and poverty.

An opportunity to redraw the boundaries of being a community and to put the pursuit of people’s well-being back at the center of attention.

About The Sofidel Group     

The Sofidel Group, a privately held company owned by the Stefani and Lazzareschi families, is a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use. Founded in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 12 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania, and the USA – with more than 6,400 employees. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers program, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic imperative and is committed to promoting sustainable development.  For more information, visit www.sofidel.com.         

Media Contact:    
Brianna Fitzpatrick  Mulberry Marketing Communications  bfitzpatrick@mulberrymc.com 

ATLANTA, March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ – PNC Bank officially debuted its Mobile Branch program in Atlanta at Focused Community Strategies (FCS), underscoring PNC’s commitment to positively impacting the communities in which it operates by making banking easier and more accessible.

The 30-foot branch on wheels allows existing and prospective PNC Bank customers in underserved areas to conduct banking transactions, such as opening accounts and applying for loans, in the same way they would at a traditional branch.

“PNC is committed to helping all move forward financially,” said Courtney Smith, senior vice president and market manager for PNC Community Development Banking in Atlanta. “The Mobile Branch helps us do that by offering essential banking services to those without access to a traditional branch and allows us to go where we are needed most.”

Throughout 2023, the Mobile Branch will visit FCS and Families First on a rotating basis, with the goal of visiting several additional community locations each week.

Among the banking services that can be conducted in the Mobile Branch are:

Meeting with a personal bankerOpening a checking accountApplying for a personal loan, credit card or mortgageReceiving or replacing a PNC debit cardReceiving assistance with digital services

Atlanta is the fifth market to host a PNC Mobile Branch, with the program launching in 2020 in Chicago, expanding into Detroit in 2021, and last year, debuting in Baltimore and Dallas. PNC’s Community Development Banking group and local community organizations are the drivers of the program in each market, with the organizations helping coordinate financial wellness initiatives for residents and members. The initiatives include educational seminars, as well as financial tips and tools to help individuals address important topics, such as the foundations of money management.

The Mobile Branch program is aligned with PNC’s $88 billion Community Benefits Plan, which focuses on benefiting low- and moderate-income people and neighborhoods, as well as people and communities of color in every community in which PNC operates.

Access to the Mobile Branch is available to one individual or family at a time. In compliance with COVID-19 safety standards, PNC team members are furnished with a supply of gloves, face masks and cleaning supplies to use as appropriate. Employees will wipe down surfaces after each customer interaction and follow social distancing best practices to protect visitors and themselves. For customers hesitant to enter the unit, bankers have the option to assist them remotely through encrypted tablet technology.

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

CONTACT: 
Christina Anderson 
(205) 903-3706 
christina.anderson472@pnc.com

The campaign, based on the principles on which the company was founded, includes a 90-second brand anthem, a new partnership with the NCAA and a multimillion-dollar grant program from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation in honor of the company’s 75th Anniversary

PITTSBURGH, March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) launched its largest brand campaign to-date – “Sports Change Lives” – to celebrate the principles on which the company was founded.

“Since DICK’S was founded 75 years ago, we have believed sports have the power to change lives. Whether it’s the friendships made in youth soccer, a coach who became a mentor, or a morning run that puts everything into perspective, the impacts of these experiences are what this campaign is all about,” said Ed Plummer, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “Our 75th anniversary is a great opportunity to focus even more of our efforts on the communities and youth sports programs where we can make a lasting impact.”

The major components of “Sports Change Lives” are:

A new marketing campaign that highlights – through a new 90-second brand anthem – the positive impact sports participation has on individuals’ character, friendships, physical and mental health, academic achievement, and more broadly the ability of sport to bring together and inspire communities and the next generation of athletes. There will also be a second expression of the campaign featuring nine sport-specific 15-second spots. The marketing and media elements of the “Sports Change Lives” campaign were developed by Arts & Letters Creative Co in their first work for DICK’S.Becoming the official sporting goods retail partner of the NCAA® and all 90 of its Men’s and Women’s Championships. The partnership will include exclusive category sponsorship rights to select fan events during the Men’s and Women’s Final Four® Games, access to exclusive NCAA championship event licensed merchandise and media investments during the Men’s and Women’s March Madness® tournaments, courtside signage, exclusive content production using historical footage and access to multiple college championships. A new program, “75for75 Sports Matter Grant Program,” which will provide 75 Sports Matter grants from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation of $75,000 each to selected youth sports programs around the country that are truly changing lives through sport on and off the field. “75for75” will distribute more than $5.6 million in 2023.A renewed $1.5M partnership between The DICK’S Foundation and Good Sports to provide 20 of the most under-resourced communities across the country with $75,000 worth of youth sports equipment in 2023.A new $1.5M partnership between The DICK’S Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to launch the Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative, which will help to create or renovate up to 20 multi-use youth sport spaces in underserved communities.

DICK’S Sporting Goods was founded in 1948 in Binghamton, New York, by 18-year-old Dick Stack, who started his business with $300 from his grandmother’s cookie jar. He also believed in the power of sport and giving back to his community and organized an effort to expand the local little league from four teams to 16 so that more kids could play. Dick’s son, Ed Stack, and his siblings bought the company from their father when it was comprised of two small stores. The legacy of fostering opportunities for young people to compete was continued by Ed Stack, the company’s current Executive Chairman, and remains an integral part of DICK’S culture today.

Since 2014, when the company started tracking its giving, DICK’S and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation have committed more than $170 million to support young athletes. The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation has set a goal to help give two million kids the chance to play by 2024.

Category: Company

About DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports participation. It was created by DICK’S Sporting Goods as a private corporate foundation to support DICK’S charitable and philanthropic activities. Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, The DICK’S Foundation champions youth sports and provides grants and support to under-resourced teams and athletes through its Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about The DICK’S Foundation can be found on sportsmatter.org.

Contact: DICK’S Sporting Goods – press@dcsg.com

CINCINNATI, March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) was awarded Compete Sports Diversity’s Corporate Change Champion Award at the organization’s 2023 Petey Awards, which were held in conjunction with its annual Sin City Classic Diversity Conference in Las Vegas in January.

Cintas was recognized by Compete Sports Diversity for promoting inclusivity and change and its involvement with the LGBTQ+ community.

>> Media Use Asset (available on Dropbox): https://cint.as/3kRCDMm

“We appreciate the NAGAAA’s nomination for this award and being recognized for our support of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Max Langenkamp, Cintas Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer. “We’re proud of our efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace, and that pride extends to how we support for the diverse needs of our customers and their employees, too. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback on our sponsorship of the NAGAAA’s event and we look forward to growing our relationship and participation this year.”

For the last two years, Cintas has been a corporate sponsor of the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA)’s Gay Softball World Series – the largest LGBTQ+ week-long single-sport competition in the world. Cintas also recently launched a new employee resource group – IMPACT – to further support the company’s LGBTQ+ employee-partners and allies. The group’s leadership team is comprised of employee-partners from all over the United States, and boasts

Cintas’ Mark Little, Human Resources Director in the company’s First Aid & Safety division and Vice President of IMPACT, accepted the award on Cintas’ behalf.

About Cintas Corporation

Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing products and services that help keep their customers’ facilities and employees clean, safe, and looking their best. With offerings including uniforms, mats, mops, towels, restroom supplies, workplace water services, first aid and safety products, eye-wash stations, safety training, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and alarm service, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.

Media Contact:

Lizz Summers, Cintas Director of Corporate Affairs | summerse2@cintas.com.

Originally published on abc6

In partnership with Fifth Third Bank, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) is promoting economic mobility in 10 predominantly Black neighborhoods through the Empowering Black Futures Capital Readiness Program.

Focusing on neighborhoods that have historically experienced disinvestment, AEO selected two entrepreneurs from each neighborhood. The 20 participating entrepreneurs will work closely with AEO over the next several months to stabilize and grow their businesses.

Continue reading here.

By Caroline Berns, Head of Diversity & Inclusion and Talent Acquisition, MMEA

Welcome to the latest edition of our Diversity & Inclusion News Round up. Today we are talking about speak up culture, employee engagement and remote work, disability inclusion, and a powerful video from Doctors Without Borders.

Generation

While younger generations (Millennials and Generation Z) are keen to speak up in the workplace – and are often encouraged to do so – research shows that it’s not that easy. Insightful article about speak up culture across generations.

Future of work

Does remote work impact employee engagement? Interesting new research is showing a change in how employees are connecting with each other. Read more here.

Disability inclusion

Ryan Gersava is the founder of an online vocational school that provides inclusive training to people with disabilities. In this TED Talk he speaks about his journey – and how companies can support.

Anti-Racism

Powerful video from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) – challenging their own practices to “not show the full picture”, perpetuating racist stereotypes. Please watch!

About Ericsson

Ericsson is one of the leading providers of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to service providers. We enable the full value of connectivity by creating game-changing technology and services that are easy to use, adopt, and scale, making our customers successful in a fully connected world.

Our comprehensive portfolio ranges across Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services and Emerging Business; powered by 5G and IoT platforms.

Visit our website

CHICAGO, March 10, 2023 /3BL Media/ –  Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) donated more than $165 million over the past decade to non-profit organizations, including more than $19 million in 2022 to organizations working to provide food security, affordable housing, accessible healthcare and quality education.

Additionally, Northern Trust employees have provided more than 1 million hours of volunteer service over the past decade. During Northern Trust’s global month of service in October, known as Achieving Greater Together, employees volunteered more than 25,000 hours for more than 1,200 organizations. This marked a nearly 150 percent increase over last year in the number of employees participating, a 50 percent increase in the number of recipient organizations and more than doubling previous volunteer hours.

These metrics and more can be found in Northern Trust’s 2022 Philanthropic Impact Report.

“From our company’s earliest days, we have worked in service of a better future for our communities. Whether through philanthropy or volunteerism, supporting basic needs—food security, affordable housing, accessible healthcare and quality education—can put people on the path to long-term financial success,” said Shana Hayes, director corporate of philanthropy at Northern Trust.

Examples highlighted in the report include:

Housing

Northern Trust works to increase access to safe and stable shelter to help lay the foundation for educational achievement and a more secure future by supporting organizations such as Chicago-based La Casa Norte.

The organization provides access to stable housing and delivers comprehensive services that help transform lives and communities for young people and families confronting homelessness.

Education

Northern Trust works with organizations that support educational equity to foster human potential including East End Community Foundation, based in London.

Many households in the East End are without internet service, creating a barrier to accessing education and employment. Through donations, Northern Trust helped fund a digital inclusion program Connecting Communities, providing families with primary school-aged children with a laptop, 12 months’ fiber broadband and tailored IT and online safety training, making remote learning and employment applications possible.

Healthcare

Northern Trust supports organizations, including Bangalore Medical Services Trust, to maximize healthcare access and awareness.

Bangalore Medical Services Trust provides safe blood, cellular and tissue products to hospital patients, while also performing research, advocacy, training, education and other interventions in social and health sectors.

In August 2022, Northern Trust provided the organization with an automated immunohematology analyzer and blood grouping machine, already benefiting nearly 10,000 patients and their families.

Food Security

Northern Trust supports organizations including World Central Kitchen to ensure reliable, everyday access to nutritious meals.

World Central Kitchen works with communities during urgent, large-scale incidents by mobilizing around the world to provide meals to those who need them most.

Northern Trust provided funding for these meals in war-torn Ukraine, as well as during Hurricane Ian relief.

About Northern Trust

Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking to corporations, institutions, affluent families and individuals. Founded in Chicago in 1889, Northern Trust has a global presence with offices in 25 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and across 23 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of December 31, 2022, Northern Trust had assets under custody/administration of US$13.6 trillion, and assets under management of US$1.2 trillion. For more than 130 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader for exceptional service, financial expertise, integrity and innovation. Visit us on northerntrust.com. Follow us on Twitter @NorthernTrust or Northern Trust Corporation on LinkedIn.

Northern Trust Corporation, Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 U.S.A., incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Global legal and regulatory information can be found at https://www.northerntrust.com/terms-and-conditions.

By Didier Bergeret, Director of Sustainability, and Debora Dias, Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability, The Consumer Goods Forum

To create a forest positive future for climate, people, and nature, businesses must take action quickly and at scale to address deforestation, forest degradation, and conversion risks in their supply chains. As our planet continues to lose millions of hectares of forests per year thanks to human activity – notably through the production of commodities such as palm oil, soy, wood pulp and fibre, and beef – there is no time to waste. The rich biodiversity of our planet, the temperature of our climate, and the wellbeing and livelihoods of the 1.6 billion people who live and work in forests depend on it.

Our Forest Positive Coalition of Action is the most ambitious collective of consumer goods companies taking action against commodity-driven deforestation and conversion, and Coalition members are striving to become forest positive businesses by implementing a five-step strategy to responsible sourcing. Known as our Forest Positive Approach, it requires businesses to have:

A public commitment to deforestation and conversion-free across entire commodity business including a public time-bound action plan with clear milestones;A process for regular supplier/producer engagement;A mechanism to identify and respond to grievances/non-compliances;Support for initiatives delivering forest positive development at landscape/jurisdictional and/or sectoral level; andRegular public reporting against Key Performance Indicators.

We developed this approach in consultation with key stakeholders from our industry and civil society, and through our Commodity Roadmaps and guidance for companies and their suppliers, we are helping drive forest positive transformation throughout the value chain. For our members, being forest positive businesses means protecting forests is at the heart of how they operate. Our Coalition is committed to implementing business models that help forest ecosystems and communities thrive, all the while ensuring the long-term success of its member companies.

However, we know that as a whole, our industry still has ways to go on the forest positive journey: as the recent results of Global Canopy’s annual Forest 500 rankings illustrate, many companies and the financial institutions that support them are still behind in taking action around deforestation. The report assesses 350 companies – including 18 of our Coalition members – and is a key resource to understand industry progress against deforestation. Global Canopy is also one of our Coalition’s key stakeholders who provides critical input on our strategies and actions, including our Forest Positive Approach.

This year, the report highlighted several key areas where companies still need to take action, and notably, these areas are strongly aligned with our Forest Positive Approach. We are pleased that our strategy aligns with the expectations of civil society, and we strongly agree with many of the report’s calls to action. For example:

“(31%) of the companies with the greatest influence on/exposure to tropical deforestation risk through their supply chains don’t have a single deforestation commitment for any of the commodities to which they are exposed.” Having a commitment to forest positive sourcing is the first step of our Forest Positive Approach. To drive any meaningful action against deforestation, companies must first have their own clear objectives and strategies in place.“Of the 100 companies with a deforestation commitment for every commodity to which they are exposed, only half (50%) are monitoring their suppliers or sourcing regions in line with their deforestation commitments for every commodity.” In order to drive true transformation at scale, we believe that all businesses across the value chain must become forest positive. The Forest Positive Approach calls for engagement with upstream suppliers to create momentum by ensuring upstream suppliers’ commodity operations are fully forest positive – meaning we look to create not just an abundance of forest positive commodities, but an abundance of forest positive commodity suppliers. It also requires businesses to have mechanisms in place for responding to grievances and non-compliance with their commitments – keeping everyone accountable to the forest positive vision.“None of the companies assessed meet the requirements for all human rights commitments alongside their deforestation commitments for all of the commodities to which they are exposed.” We also believe addressing human rights abuses linked to deforestation and conversion is critical along with ensuring the protection and wellbeing of people who live and work in forests, particularly Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP/LC). As a result, we are working to incorporate actions to respect IP/LC rights into our Commodity Roadmaps – starting with palm oil – and also supporting landscape-level initiatives that have positive impacts on human rights and forest communities. These efforts are in parallel to the work of our Human Rights Coalition which, through its People Positive Palm Project, is addressing systemic human rights challenges and advancing Worker wellbeing in the Malaysian palm oil sector by improving suppliers’ due diligence practices and helping develop enabling policy environments for responsible recruitment and employment. We will also take our learnings from this project and apply them to other commodities and geographies.“98% of Forest 500 companies with climate commitments are likely to miss them due to insufficient progress on deforestation.” For us, forest positive is climate positive, and we know that it will be impossible to reach any climate goals without meaningful action on forests. Through reducing deforestation and conversion and supporting forest positive commodity production, businesses can have a huge contribution to decarbonisation efforts and help our industry reach net-zero.“Financial institutions’ actions are far too slow given their high exposure and influence.” The financial sector is a critical actor in reaching a forest positive future and we have already initiated conversations with key stakeholders about how to work to bring about the forest positive vision together. We look forward to continuing engaging with them to leverage their influence in the industry.“The political momentum for addressing deforestation … must be turned into practical steps to address the problem – with legislation part of the package.” Legislation is a critical tool for enabling and driving corporate action on deforestation. Our members are eager to provide the industry’s voice in the development of emerging due diligence legislation linked to deforestation and we are already in dialogue with producing and purchasing governments including Brazil, China, Indonesia, and the European Union.

With half of our Coalition member companies ranking in the top 50 companies assessed by Forest 500 and our agreement with many of the reports takeaways, it is clear that our Coalition’s forest positive strategy is aligned with the expectations of civil society for how businesses can take action around deforestation and conversion risks in their supply chains.

It is also clear that both in our Coalition and beyond, our industry must continue to keep working towards forest positive by taking action and, critically, sharing reports on progress and impact transparently. Membership to our Coalition is open to any consumer goods brand or retailer looking to lead industry efforts against deforestation and conversion, though our strategic and technical resources are all open source and available for all. We also collaborate and engage with more than 200 external organisations including supply chain partners and civil society members. In line with Forest 500, we call for everyone – businesses, governments, investors, and civil society alike – to ramp up individual and collective efforts to help us reach forest positive. Our forests, people, and climate – and our businesses – depend on it.

By Kim Borges

This celebration …

Across the nation …

Promotes imagination …

Among the next generation.

March marks the 25th anniversary of Read Across America, a program established by the National Education Association to promote reading among children and teens nationwide.

Visit Reid Park Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina, and you’ll quickly discover that story time is eagerly anticipated by pre-kindergarten students in Lisa Schreibeis’s classroom.

“The children are always so excited when I say Mr. Bill and Mr. Jared are coming,” Schreibeis said.

Mr. Bill is Bill Bateman, a credit executive with Regions Bank’s Diversified Industries Risk team. Mr. Jared? That’s Jared Hall, a senior credit officer with the bank’s Commercial Risk team. The two not only read to students twice a month, but they’ve also recruited 18 additional associates to join them.

“The Regions Reads for Reid Park initiative has been one of the most rewarding community projects I’ve ever led,” said Bateman, who’s read to students for nearly 20 years. “All we had to do was provide a little organization and coordination. The outpouring of associate volunteers to read was so popular that we ended up having a list of alternate readers. It’s so heartwarming.”

And the benefits for students?

“Reading promotes brain development and imagination, it develops language, builds vocabulary and emotions and strengthens relationships,” said Schreibeis. “Beyond reading, Mr. Bill and Mr. Jared have also incorporated math skills by providing piggy banks with coins to promote saving money for something they really want or need. The relationship Mr. Bill and Mr. Jared have developed with our students matters because they are consistent role models who are giving our students the confidence to share thoughts and ideas.”

Here are just a few of those thoughts and ideas from the students themselves:

“My favorite part of reading time is … reading the very silly books.” 
–A’zariah

“The readers from Regions Bank are … funny when they wear a pencil suit.” 
–Khloe

“My favorite book that’s been read during story time is … Little Red Riding Hood.” 
–Alaia

“If I could be any character from book we’ve read, it would be… the Big Bad Wolf.” 
–Na’Ryan

Discover what reading at Reid Park means to four Regions associates:

Bill Bateman

Credit Executive, Diversified Industries Risk Team

What’s your favorite part of reading to the Reid Park students? 
The joy on their faces when Mr. Jared and Mr. Bill arrive every other week to read.

What have you learned about yourself by leading this project? 
I never dreamed I would have so much fun wearing a pencil costume for one of our reading sessions. It’s good to get out of your comfort zone and, most importantly, the kids got a kick out of it.

Do you have a favorite book you’ve read to the students? 
That’s easy, “Go Dog Go.” Who doesn’t love a dog party?

Any funny or cute memories come to mind? 
Hard to top the pencil costume.

Jared Hall

Senior Credit Officer, Commercial Risk Team

What’s your favorite part of reading to the Reid Park students? 
Seeing the students listen intently and interact as we read.

What have you learned about yourself by leading this project? 
Learning to be more creative as I read – adding expression, changing up voices, etc. One week we incorporated a ukulele and sang a song that was in the story. Bill leads by example!

Do you have a favorite book or two you’ve read to the students? 
“Llama Llama Red Pajama” and “The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.”

Any funny or cute memories come to mind? 
Definitely agree, Bill’s pencil costume is a highlight.

Maura Atwater

Regions Business Capital Portfolio Manager

What’s your favorite part of reading to the Reid Park students? 
The excitement on the children’s faces when you ask them a question about what you have read and they know the answer. They are so excited to be able to answer your question and to show you that they are paying attention and can understand the words. They are so proud of themselves. That is the sole reason for doing this, it’s to instill confidence in them and for them to learn to love reading.

What are the traits you’ve seen in your Regions teammates through this project? 
Their willingness to help others and give of their time to invest in the students.

What have you learned about yourself through your involvement in this project? 
I think the biggest thing I have learned is that the littlest amount of time can have the biggest impact. Reading at Reid Park is one hour including commute time, but I can see the impact on these students and the joy it beings them. It’s my hope that their love for reading will grow because of it.

Any favorite books you’ve read to the students? 
Anything that has repetitive words or phrases as the kids get so excited to participate with you. They exude such joy when they can say the words with you.

Al Bacchi

Managing Director, Diversified Industries

What’s your favorite part of reading to the Reid Park students? 
I love the joy on their faces at hearing stories, and, in most cases, even when they’ve heard the stories before! 

What are the traits you’ve seen in your Regions teammates through this project? 
I love the sense of community and sharing evident among my colleagues.

What have you learned about yourself through your involvement in it? 
I have learned to be more hopeful when I see the children engaged with learning at a young age.

Do you have a favorite book(s) you’ve read to the students? 
“Little Red Riding Hood.” Such a classic.

Any funny or cute memories come to mind? 
I love when some of the children are so excited about what comes next that they can’t help but blurt it out.

Interested in Read Across America?

Learn more about free Read Across America resources. 
Check out the Read Across America calendar featuring book ideas.