SHEFFIELD — Bank Independent celebrated its 75th anniversary as a community bank Thursday by giving back to the community in the form of more than $75,000 to nonprofit organizations across the region.
“There are many organizations that make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of the Valley’s citizens,” said bank President Macke Mauldin. “We received 147 requests for more than $2.1 million. Every request was important, and we are most honored to assist these 11 organizations that epitomize our mission of making a positive difference in the lives of others.”
As a last-minute surprise, $25,000 was awarded to the town of Leighton to help implement the Singing River Trail system, which will run right through downtown.
In Huntsville, HATCH, an 8-week job training program designed to grow leadership skills and develop strong personal habits for young adults ages 18-24 was awarded $5,000 to support the material needs of the organization such as uniforms, supplies, laptops, etc.
A grant for $5,000 was awarded to Kids to Love. Based in Madison, the organization serves more than 290,000 children living in foster care. The grant will help them continue to provide lifechanging opportunities for children living in and aging out of the foster care system.
The Athens State University Foundation received $5,000 to support the university’s Men of Kennis (MoK) program that actively works to support men of color on their path to becoming teachers in Alabama.
The Rescue Me Project in the Shoals was founded to help young people become productive members of society. It received a $5,000 grant to help facilitate the programs and services the project offers.
Tiny Cubs, whose mission is to improve perinatal care across North Alabama by striving to identify needs related to maternal and obstetrical care, was awarded $10,000 to pay for two minority scholarships for senior-level nursing students.
Make-A-Wish Alabama grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. The organization was awarded $5,000 to help with the 87 children on the waiting list to have their wish granted.
A $10,000 grant went to Let’s Talk Veterans, which supports veterans with PTSD, suicidal ideations, lack of confidence, or just need a listening ear when the VA office is not available. The contribution will help stock the food pantry with canned goods and nutritional foods.
LifeSource serves those in the criminal justice system who struggle with addiction. The group was awarded $5,000 to build shelving to hold a larger quantity of canned and dry goods to the largest community pantry in Morgan County.
The Huntsville Community of Hope was founded to build a residential community for the chronically homeless. Their gift of $10,000 will help build a self-supportive, residential community of tiny homes designed to not only lift homeless people off the streets, but to keep them off the streets.
A $5,000 grant was awarded to Bear Creek Collaborative, whose mission is to provide environmental experiences that are inclusive, accessible, and educational for everyone. The money will be used to update property facilities and grounds to make it accessible for those with both visible and invisible disabilities.
Huntsville’s Downtown Rescue Mission provides essential emergency services, food, clothing, and shelter to those in need. The $10,000 grant will be used to continue the process of building the mission’s Medical Wing to provide essential medical aid to those in need.
Bank Independent has 600 team members and 29 sales offices across North Alabama, an on-campus Deshler Tiger branch, and a digital sales office. The bank is also expanding operations in downtown Huntsville and will be moving into its new building on Holmes Avenue in December.
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