Umpqua Bank and Columbia Banking System Celebrate Anniversaries with $1M in Grants for Local Nonprofits Umpqua Bank and parent company Columbia Banking System have announced the recipients of $1 million in grants to mark their respective 70th and 30th anniversaries, including $700,000 to organizations in honor of their longstanding presence in the historic communities of South Puget Sound, Portland Metro and Douglas County, Oregon. “Umpqua Bank and Columbia Bank were formed with the vision of creating financial institutions deeply committed to the prosperity of local communities and providing a strong, relationship model of banking for families and businesses,” said Umpqua Chief Marketing Officer David Moore Devine. “These grants reflect our ongoing appreciation for the nonprofit organizations that are committed to making a difference in our local communities.” Grant recipients were selected for their strong community leadership, their commitment to improving access to economic opportunity, and their support for a variety of under-resourced communities in the areas of affordable housing and homeownership, education, career readiness, entrepreneurship and health and wellness. To support the expansion and continued success of the recipients’ strategic work, grants in the amounts of $100,000 and $50,000 were awarded by the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation to the following organizations: $100,000 Grant Recipients: Rebuilding Together South Sound (Tacoma, WA) Portland Workforce Alliance (Portland, OR) $50,000 Grant Recipients South Sound Recipients: Asia Pacific Cultural Center Step By Step Family Support Center Tacoma Community House Tacoma Urban League Portland Metro Recipients: Community Partners for Affordable Housing Hacienda Community Development Corporation Oregon Native American Chamber Share Vancouver Douglas County Recipients: Riddle Roots Community Projects Umpqua Community Development Corporation Additional Organizations Receiving Grants: Bellwether Housing (Seattle, WA) California Capital Financial Development Corporation (Sacramento, CA) HomeAid America (Irvine, CA) NewWest Community Capital, Inc. (Boise, ID) Nimiipuu Fund (Lapwai, ID) Warm Springs Community Action Team (Warm Springs, OR) In addition to the $1 million in strategic local grants, Umpqua Bank provided a special grant to Cake4Kids, a nonprofit that delivers free homemade cakes to at-risk and underserved youth across the country. Umpqua Bank awarded a $35,000 grant to the 14 chapters that serve communities across the bank’s footprint in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Umpqua Bank Raises $365,246 for Local Shelters Through its Warm Hearts Winter Drive In November, Umpqua Bank launched its Warm Hearts Winter Drive, an associate-driven campaign to support individuals and families who struggle with access to housing and other basic resources. As part of the drive, more than 5,000 associates and nearly 300 local branches helped mobilize their respective communities to raise money and collect winter clothing for shelters and aide organizations serving people experiencing homelessness. At the close of the drive in January, Umpqua announced it had raised $365,246 in online and in-branch contributions plus hundreds of warm winter supplies. Umpqua’s Warm Hearts Winter drive continues a communityimpact commitment of the former Columbia Bank, which merged with Umpqua earlier this year. The campaign was started in 2015 as a way for bank associates to partner with customers and members of their community to raise funds and other resources for local shelters and nonprofits providing support for families without a home. More than $2 million in contributions has been raised since its inception. This year’s drive expands to support more than 100 organizations in communities across the combined bank’s footprint in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah. “As a newly combined bank, Umpqua is committed to mobilizing our greater resources and the collective power and passion of our associates to make a difference in our local communities” said Umpqua Bank Chief Marketing Officer David Moore Devine. “Access to adequate shelter and clothing continues to be a major challenge for many of our neighbors, and our Warm Hearts campaign empowers associates, along with members of our communities, to support local families in need. Simply donating a few dollars, a new coat or other quality clothing items can help ensure that more of our neighbors are cared for in the months ahead.” 42 Winter 2024 • BANKING MATTERS
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