Independent Banker - February 2023 - 63

Pictured:
Sanibel Captiva
Community Bank
staff-some
shown here with
a client-put
120 hours into
community
service and
recovery efforts.
conducted via pen, paper and boat.
Centennial's Stearns arranged for
boats to transport Centennial team
members from the Burnt Store Marina
near Cape Coral over to the Pine Island
branch. Initially lacking internet, the
Pine Island team called other branches
on the mainland to verify balances or
get account numbers. Upon boating
back to the mainland, Centennial staff
scanned in information from the Pine
Island transactions.
Cogent Bank sometimes used
couriers to deliver cashier's checks
or insurance checks directly to their
customers. " It made sense to do that
rather than us or our clients fighting
traffic or using the limited amount
of gas, " Box explains. " It was a very
tough two weeks there. "
As banks struggled to reopen,
they also supported employees who
had experienced dismaying losses.
" [About 10%] of our employees live
on Sanibel, " DeCicco says. " Some lost
everything, some lost homes and/
or cars, some lost personal items.
Other off-island employees lost cars,
boats, roofs and/or have damage to
their homes. " The community bank
responded by finding temporary
housing for its eight displaced
employees and their families,
covering the cost through 2022.
Centennial Bank had previously
established a trust account to
which employees could voluntarily
contribute small amounts at each
pay period. In the case of unexpected
hardship, employees can apply
and access $150 per day with a cap
of $2,500.
In addition, Centennial provided
hotel rooms for employees who'd
lost housing, purchasing a block of
rooms in Sarasota and Fort Myers.
The bank supplied housing for five
of its employees' families and ended
ICBA partners with Florida Bankers Assoc. to deliver hurricane relief
The ICBA Foundation's Disaster Relief Program
raised more than $200,000 from community banks
and bankers across the U.S. for the Hurricane
Ian Relief program. ICBA donated $50,000 and
absorbed all administrative costs.
This was the first opportunity for the ICBA
Foundation to partner with a state bank association
to collect and distribute relief funds. ICBA reached
out to the Florida Bankers Association (FBA) to
oversee distribution of the funds. " We wanted to
partner with those that are acutely aware of what's
happening on the ground and rely on them to make
the disbursement decisions, " says Aaron Stetter,
EVP, advocacy and strategic engagement for ICBA,
who administers the fund.
The FBA funded about $1,900 per applicant
for more than 100 people, using about 98% of
the funds raised to date. " It was a very emotional
experience to see the need that was out there
and also the thankfulness for the help from the
ICBA Foundation that our bankers felt, " says Alex
Sanchez, president and CEO of the FBA. " I want to
extend a heartfelt thank you to the bankers around
the country who contributed to help Florida. This
foundation effort did accomplish what it set out to
do. Kudos to the whole ICBA team. "
62 // ICBA Independent Banker // February 2023
Independent Banker - February 2023

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