Every recipient of Independence Bank’s 2020-2021 scholarship program was awarded $100 with simple instructions to “do good.” With only 11 days to complete the “Here for Good” challenge, the 63 recipients’ submissions varied immensely and investing more than $6,000 into their local communities.
“This is exactly the impact my father, Charles A. Reid, would have hoped for from the recipients of the scholarship program created in his honor,” said Chris Reid, Chairman and CEO of Independence Bank. “I’m so proud that we could inspire the same young people that inspired us to go out and do more for the communities that helped shape them.”
In Daviess County, students delivered Mother’s Day flowers to Carmel Home residents, donated items to St. Stephen’s Food Pantry, wrote notes of encouragement, and brought flowers to the Roosevelt House in which some residents have had no family contact since the beginning of the pandemic.
“These young people really understand the importance of taking care of your neighbor,” said Daviess County President Nick Oller. “Our bank has always been intentional about fostering a spirit of community and that begins with looking outside of ourselves and finding pockets of need that we can help fill.”
Every bank employee was invited to review some of the most meaningful submissions. They voted that one special student so embodied the giving spirit of Independence Bank that he deserved an additional “Here for Good” scholarship.
The winner was Andrew Dunn, a duPont Manual High School graduate from Louisville. The scholarship — originally in the amount of $1,776 — was advanced an additional $10,000 after Reid heard Dunn’s story.
Dunn called his project “Dinner on Us,” and he created 10 family dinner boxes including pasta, sauce, bread, Oreos and chocolate chip muffin mix. With help from the Assistant Principal of Minor’s Lane Elementary, 10 families were identified for this act of kindness. At the Friday afternoon carpool pickup, those 10 families were surprised with a “Dinner on Us” that they could quickly prepare for their family that night.
“Our bank has made a promise to the places that we call home that not only are we committed to being a long-standing member of the community, but we will take care of those around us,” said Independence Bank President Jacob Reid. “It’s a deep part of our culture at the bank, and we’re excited to bring those around us into the fold.”
