Centier Bank donates record $65,000 to United Way

Merrillville-based Centier Bank recently presented a $65,000 gift to United Way Northwest Indiana.

The donation is part of Centier Bank’s annual Workplace Campaign. The donated dollars are gathered by associate contributions and a corporate gift. The funds will help serve local United Way programs.

The donation supports the United Way organizations in the 11 counties in which Centier Bank serves. The counties include Lake, Porter, La Porte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, Allen, Tippecanoe, Boone, Marion and Hamilton.

“Our passion for the United Way remains strong, and I was excited to see that this year’s campaign marks a significant milestone for us,” said Anthony Contrucci, president of First Bancshares, Centier Bank’s parent company, in a press release . “What I am most proud of is that this campaign is truly led by our associates. It is their passion and generosity that inspires me.”

United Way NWI’s ongoing Level Up initiative focuses on improving educational outcomes, financial stability and literacy for community members. The program supports career development, job training and budgeting skills. The goal is to empower individuals for economic independence and to break the cycle of poverty.

The largest barriers to achieve are breakthroughs in childcare, transportation and health care, said Adam O’Doherty, United Way NWI president and CEO.

“The donation that Centier has made will be instrumental in continuing funding these barriers,” O’Doherty said. “The Centier family are truly champions of the communities they serve. With the dollars we received, we were able to not only grow our Level Up program, but we were also able to partner with many other agencies to make a direct impact in the communities we serve.”

Centier Bank is a private, family-owned bank. It has served communities in Indiana since 1895. Centier Bank has over 60 offices and more than 1,000 associates.

Valparaiso-based United Way Northwest Indiana aims to address multiple needs in the community. The organization was founded in 1957. United Way Northwest Indiana is part of the network of United Way agencies spanning 37 countries and 1,100 communities.

Caption: (From left) Kelly DeCamp, United Way NWI regional development executive; Adam O’Doherty, United Way NWI CEO; Ashley Stephan, Centier Bank volunteer engagement specialist; Rich Shields, United Way NWI chief marketing and development officer; Shannon Buck, United Way NWI regional account executive; and Anthony Contrucci, First Bancshares president. (Provided by Centier Bank)

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