Sully’s First Interstate Bank employees stand in front of the Sully Ballpark shelterhouse before they remove the panels lining the bottom of the structure. Left to right are Danielle Brand, Valerie Nikkel, Valerie Rolffs, and Steven Lewis.
To give back to the places it calls home, First Interstate Bank, a community bank with more than 300 branches across 14 states, held its fifth annual Volunteer Day on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Every First Interstate location closed at noon, including the Sully branch, to give the employees paid time to volunteer through nearly 400 separate service projects.
Employees of First Interstate’s Sully location spent their time on Wednesday making repairs at the Sully Ballpark shelterhouse on the south side of town. First Interstate employees Steven Lewis, Danielle Brand, Valerie Nikkel, and Valerie Rolffs, along with Sully City Councilmember Dan Stouthammer, removed the side panels from the shelterhouse as part of ongoing renovations associated with the Sully Ballpark Project.
“First Interstate Bank believes in giving back to the community in many ways, one of which is volunteerism,” said Lewis, retail manager of Sully’s First Interstate Bank. “With the ongoing City of Sully Ballpark Project, we were informed the city could use some assistance at the ballpark, and hence we decided to utilize our volunteer time to assist.”
“This day concentrates and magnifies the efforts of our wonderful employees, who give generously to the places where they live and work,” said Kevin Riley, president and CEO of First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. “We are honored to celebrate the power of community with our neighbors today.”
The overarching philanthropic focus for this year’s Volunteer Day is anchored in combating poverty, hunger, and homelessness. However, employees were em-powered to select service projects that cater to the specific needs of their communities. First Interstate’s Volunteer Day microsite has a complete list of these service projects organized by location, and includes project descriptions, event locations, and on-site points of contact.
Although First Interstate’s branch offices was closed in the afternoon, the Client Contact Center was fully staffed and available to assist clients from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT. Clients could also visit ATMs or use online banking or the mobile banking app for immediate banking needs. Regular branch and service hours resumed on Thursday, Sept. 15.
An Attitude of Gratitude
Giving back on Volunteer Day is not just a one-and-done focus for First Interstate; it’s a philanthropic philosophy employees bring to life every day.
“Investing in our communities, whether through local sponsorships, donations, volunteer efforts, or business development, is what makes us who we are — a full-service community bank offering a unique set of products and services, yes, but more importantly, a trusted community partner and neighbor,” Riley said.
During the past three months, First Interstate brought this commitment to life through its inaugural “Believe in Local” campaign, awarding 40 separate $25,000 gifts to deserving nonprofits in its service area, totaling $1 million. First Interstate’s annual Volunteer Day underscores and punctuates these efforts, amplifying the Bank’s impact to never-before-seen levels.
Making a Difference in the Places the Bank Calls Home
In addition to Volunteer Day and Believe in Local, First Interstate champions other innovative philanthropy-focused programs, including Teach Children to Save, Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Coats and More, and Get Smart About Credit.
Additionally, through its volunteer match program, First Interstate pays nonprofits $10 for each hour First Interstate employees volunteer at their organizations (minimum of 10 hours). First Interstate also matches employee donations to nonprofits and donates 2% of its net income before taxes to charitable organizations. For more information related to how First Interstate contributes to the health and happiness of the places it calls home, please take a peek at its Community Scorecard.
About First Interstate
First Interstate is a community bank headquartered in Billings, MT, delivering best-in-class banking and Wealth Management services across Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. With more than 300 offices, First Interstate enhances the communities it serves through an innovative corporate philanthropy program, which includes donating a portion of Company profits, matching employees’ personal financial contributions, and donating $10 per hour for volunteer efforts made at qualifying organizations. To learn more, please visit firstinterstate.com.
