Our bankers have been spreading goodwill in their branch communities as part of our Bank on Kindness initiative. Here’s some of what they’ve been up to.

Forest Home teller Samantha Bradford shows off the greeting cards.

Forest Home and Southridge employees got holiday greeting cards for residents at Villa St. Francis assisted living, area branch manager Carolyn Lancour said. The cards were purchased from the Hunger Task Force, and proceeds of the sale went to the food bank. The bankers then delivered the cards to Villa St. Francis. “The staff there was so grateful for the cards, which cheered up the residents who were limited on visiting with family throughout the year,” Carolyn said.

The lucky recipients of the $20 surprises.

Forest Home teller Samantha Bradford also made three customers’ days by handing out an extra $20 to each of them. “Originally, we were going to try to catch people at the ATM, but due to logistics and the ability to have only one customer in our lobby at a time right now, the team opted for a more personal and heartfelt moment with some of our favorite customers inside,” Carolyn said. Carolyn’s team also dropped off care packages for homeless Milwaukeeans at one of the St. Vincent de Paul locations in Milwaukee.

Vanessa sharing a Bank on Kindness gift with El Rey Foodmart customers.

At our El Rey Foodmart office, branch manager Alfredo Martin, assistant branch manager Maria Castro, and personal banker Vanessa Escobedo shared money that customers could use to buy groceries or anything else.

And at Wauwatosa, branch manager Mary Rose Balzer and her team brought doughnuts from Cranky Al’s to local police, firefighters, and Wauwatosa West High School. The school even asked teller Nicole Ndanda, a West graduate, to come back and speak to graduating seniors this spring about life after high school. The branch also surprised eight customers with an extra $20 and got care packages for delivery people.