Last week, employees of First Resource Bank teamed up to help the Westside Community Center paint its newly acquired building. The revitalization of the former car wash, located on West Washington Street in the Borough of West Chester, will allow Westside Community Center to expand its robust after-school programs, providing youth in the community a safe place where they can go and escape life’s daily stresses.   

This project is just one of the many volunteer opportunities that employees of First Resource Bank have participated in. With an increase in the amount of support organizations are seeking, hands on volunteerism is one of the many ways that the bank is stepping up to the plate to help. In addition to financially contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to local schools and organizations, the bank also encourages its employees to get involved in the community. Each employee is given eight hours of paid volunteer time annually to support those causes which are most important to them.  

“When we take an active role in our community, we get a better understanding of what needs exist and how we can help,” said First Resource Bank President and CFO, Lauren Ranalli. “All too often there’s a disconnect between corporate donors and the communities they support. Projects like the one at Westside Community Center allow us to connect with our neighbors and fully appreciate the work that they do. It also is a great morale booster for us as a team as we roll up our sleeves and show that actions speak louder than words.” 

The bank’s dedication to the community benefits more than the organizations they support. Research shows that not only do potential job candidates take into account a company’s volunteerism efforts when considering employment, but also that the act of volunteering improves a person’s overall mental health and well-being. According to the National Council for Voluntary Organizations, 68 percent of people surveyed said that volunteering helped them feel less isolated and surprisingly that percentage jumped into the mid-seventies for individuals between 18 to 34 years of age.  

For organizations like Westside Community Center, receiving hands-on volunteerism is priceless.

“With the ever-increasing cost of pretty much everything, we’re consistently trying to do more with less,” said the Center’s Executive Director, Ryan Enns.  “The support provided by the team from First Resource Bank has been invaluable. In addition to helping us paint our new facility and generous financial support, we now have a group of people from the bank who, having seen what we’re all about, is helping to share our story. Not only are they talking about how much fun they had volunteering, which encourages others to do so, but they are also spreading the word about the unique programs we offer benefitting youth and families in West Chester.”  

Westside Community Center’s programs are aimed at empowering families and youth academically, socially, and spiritually, and inspiring them to take on leadership roles in their community. From a bike shop, where youth are taught how to restore and care for used bikes, to the community garden where neighborhood families can come and learn about healthy living and plants as they tend to them, the center is offering programs that provide a safe place for families in the community to thrive. The freshly painted building by volunteers from First Resource Bank and other members of the community will allow the center to expand its impactful programs and has revitalized a property that had previously been a magnet for criminal activity. 

“We were thrilled to be a part of this project,” said Ranalli. “I am incredibly impressed with the quality programs offered by Westside Community Center and proud of my team members who consistently raise their hands to help wherever and whenever they can. When our community comes first, everyone wins.” 

First Resource Bank has earned a tremendous reputation for its philanthropic work within the community. As one of the few remaining locally owned and operated banks, their commitment to providing superior customer service in tandem with supporting the community has earned them multiple awards including Best Bank in Chester County for six consecutive years, Best Bank along the Main Line three years straight, and a four-time recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Places to Work Award.

Learn more at First Resource Bank.