As we shared in a previous blog post,
“Editors and reporters are not in the business of advertising companies. They care more about how your business engages and benefits the community than how your business makes you money. Yes, they are interested in new products ... but they are more interested in how those products benefit the community and the public.”
So, when Community West Bank employees volunteered for a local Habitat for Humanity build, we were able to capitalize on their generosity and get them published in local publications.
It is important to mention details of the volunteer project as a whole (paragraph 2) and specific examples of what the volunteers accomplished (paragraph 3), though we do tell about the bank at the end.
The important thing here is not that everyone who reads the story knows Community West Bank's specialties, but becomes familiar with their name and associates their name with philanthropic project.
Published on Noozhawk and in CASA Magazine.
Community West Bank helps build Habitat for Humanity homes
L to R: Cynthia Hooper, Terre Lapman, Eric Swanson, Christine Navarro, Sean McCulloch, Debi Scott, Chris Lem, Marty Plourd with daughters Makenzie and Audrie Plourd, Eric Schapel, Carlyn Smith, Jon Apilado and Joshua Lem.
Fourteen Community West Bank employees volunteered their Saturday to help build Habitat for Humanity’s Canon Perdido Affordable Homes Project.
The project, located at 822 and 824 E. Canon Perdido St., comprises 12 new affordable homes for low and very-low income families. The three-, two- and one-bedroom units range between 750 and 1,200 square feet each and will be certified “Passive Houses,” with the goal of near zero energy usage.
Community West Bank volunteers painted, helped dig holes for fence posts, weeded and cleared the construction site. In addition to donating their time, the team also donated money for the paint and other supplies they used, according to Carlyn Smith, senior vice president and community reinvestment officer at Community West Bank.
“Everyone had a wonderful time,” Ms. Smith said. “Working alongside the homeowners gave us such enthusiasm and a great sense of accomplishment. Affordable housing is near and dear to my heart. The bank has supported and donated to Habitat’s great work for years; however, this year, we were glad to also contribute some sweat equity. Partnering with the homeowners and seeing their pride in ownership — that was the best investment.”
Community West Bank hopes to expand its partnership with Habitat for Humanity in the future, Ms. Smith said.
“We hope to offer more financial education for Habitat homeowners — from lending prospective to deposit prospective,” she said. “We want to be a resource to anyone who comes through Habitat.”
Community West Bank was founded as Goleta National Bank in 1989. In 2004, the name changed to Community West Bank to better reflect the bank’s expanding footprint while emphasizing its three core services: relationship banking, mortgage lending and small business administration (SBA) lending. It has since grown and now has $550 million in assets and 130 employees at five branches — Goleta (the original), Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura and Westlake Village.
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Community West Bank is a full-service bank focused on relationship banking, mortgage lending and small business administration lending in California. The bank opened for business in 1989, and has since grown to five branches, and additional mortgage loan and SBA loan offices. Branches are located in Santa Maria, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Westlake Village. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. For more information, call 805-692-4379 or visit www.communitywestbank.com.