The Regions Foundation, an Alabama-based nonprofit initiative of Regions Bank that supports community investments, on Thursday announced a $25,000 grant for the Tornado Relief Fund established by United Way of Greater Chattanooga and the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga.
The donation will support immediate and long-term recovery efforts following the violent storms that swept through the area late Sunday and early Monday.
The Regions Foundation is serving as a pacesetter contributor to the fund as United Way and the Community Foundation seek additional contributions to help meet urgent needs.
“This is an especially difficult season, and we know many of our neighbors are suffering great losses, but we also know our community is defined by our collaborative spirit and generosity,” said Michael Mathis, Chattanooga Market Executive for Regions Bank. “Through this donation, our goal is to be part of the rebuilding and healing of our community in the days, weeks and months to come. We appreciate the leadership role both United Way and the Community Foundation are taking in supporting recovery needs.”
The Tornado Relief Fund has been established to provide grants to nonprofits delivering vital services as part of immediate and long-term recovery efforts. The joint fund will be held at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, and its grants will be informed by a community task force. The task force will be assembled in partnership with United Way and the Community Foundation, with input from local officials and a focus on understanding the most pressing needs on the ground.
Leaders from United Way and the Community Foundation said the fund will allow nonprofits to concentrate on delivering vital services in surrounding communities while United Way and the Community Foundation connect generosity with needs.
“In times of crisis, our community responds with acts of compassion and a helping hand,” said Maeghan Jones, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. “Because of the leadership and generosity of Regions, relief organizations will have the resources they need to effectively respond, and the victims of this disaster will have critical support in their time of need.”
“In recent days, our community has experienced substantial challenges due to COVID-19 and most recently with the tornado and severe storms that came through our region. Although these events have been great, the response from eager individuals and generous community partners like Regions has been greater,” said Lesley Scearce, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Chattanooga. “We know focused and collective efforts like this, that go above and beyond, are what are required to not only meet but overcome the challenges that face our neighbors.”
In addition to the grant from the Regions Foundation, Regions Bank is announcing special financial services available to those impacted by the storms. Services available to customers in impacted areas, for a limited time, include:
- No check-cashing fee for FEMA-issued checks
- Regions Mortgage Disaster Relief Purchase and Renovation loan programs
- Personal and business loan payment assistance
Regions Bank maintains an ongoing customer assistance program designed to listen to customers’ unique needs and identify additional areas where the bank may assist. Customers can call 1-866-298-1113 to discuss payment or assistance options related to Regions credit cards, personal loans, home equity loans and business loans. Also, the Regions Mortgage Payment Assistance team can be reached at 1-800-748-9498. Additional banking needs can be discussed by calling 1-800-411-9393.
The above services are in addition to ongoing financial services announced March 20 for customers impacted by COVID-19. Details on those services are available at this link.