Perry Area Emergency Food Council receives $25,000 donation from First Interstate Bank

Perry Area Emergency Food Council recently received a $25,000 gift from First Interstate Bank and the First Interstate BancSystem Foundation as part of their third-annual Believe in Local grant campaign. These funds will be deployed to address hunger and food assistance.

“We are incredibly appreciative of First Interstate’s generosity and support,” Site Manager Lou Hoger said. “This donation helps us to further our mission of providing food assistance for persons in immediate need. We’re thankful to have dedicated partners like First Interstate working with us to support and strengthen our community.”

First Interstate Bank launched the Believe in Local campaign in 2022 to celebrate the Bank’s longstanding commitment to the communities it serves. Each year, 40 nonprofit organizations across the Bank’s 14-state footprint receive a $25,000 gift in support of their mission. Perry Area Emergency Food Council was nominated by local First Interstate employees and selected from a pool of over 550 submissions thanks to its alignment with the Bank’s philanthropic goals.

“Giving back to the places we call home is central to who we are as a community bank,” said Sarah Cerwinske, Financial Service Representative. “Our Believe in Local grant campaign captures our core values in action and is the ideal way to celebrate the nonprofit organizations that deliver the greatest positive impact. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to further support Perry Area Emergency Food Council in its work to make our community a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

In addition to campaigns like Believe in Local, First Interstate makes annual donations and grants of 2% of its pre-tax earnings to local communities. These funds aid in the improvement of workforce development, to boost early childhood education, mitigate poverty, and support nonprofit organizations.