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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Ventura County, CA, United States, 01/27/2009 - First California Bank, with five branches in Camarillo, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Ventura, donated $8,700 to three nonprofit organizations, including MANNA of the Conejo Valley, Care & Share in Simi Valley and FOOD Share in Oxnard.
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First California Bank, with five branches sprinkled throughout Ventura County in Camarillo, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Ventura, recently donated $8,700 to three nonprofit organizations, including MANNA of the Conejo Valley, Care & Share in Simi Valley and FOOD Share, Ventura County’s regional food bank.
As a member of the local financial community, the administrative team and employees of First California Bank came together to raise awareness and funds for three organizations dedicated to serving its residents.
Al Jones, vice president and regional banking services manager for First California Bank said the entire staff of the Oxnard branch voluntarily relinquished a traditional Christmas tree in the lobby and gifts, opting to give the expense money to FOOD Share instead. “With the money saved, a few of us went shopping for protein-rich foods with a focus on feeding entire families, from infants to seniors, delivering about 100 lbs. to FOOD Share’s warehouse in Oxnard,” Jones said.
The bank chain also placed food collection barrels in each branch lobby and created a special Community Certificate of Deposit for the campaign, allowing customers to participate.
“For each new Community CD opened, First California Bank donated $100 to that branch’s charity,” said Dan Lienart, assistant vice president and marketing officer of First California Bank. “Our customers really came forward and supported their community, with many customers opening more than one CD.”
“We are so grateful to the employees and customers of First California Bank for putting FOOD Share at the top of their giving list,” said Bonnie Weigel, CEO of FOOD Share. “On behalf of so many families in need, it is truly heartwarming to accept this generous gift.”
Jill Gregorchuck, vice president and banking services manager of the Ventura branch added, “Our CD drive was like an old-fashioned values promotion and it helped our teams and customers to get involved.”
“I have lived in this community since 1964 and it’s time we all started getting back to helping each other,” said Sharon Edwards, vice president and banking services manager in Camarillo. “With FOOD Share, you can get behind it…because people in need receive help almost immediately.”
About First California Bank
First California Bank operates 12 full-service branches and two loan production offices serving Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties. With a staff of more than 200 employees and total assets of over $1 billion, it is an emerging force in Southern California banking, dedicated to become the business bank of choice while simultaneously cultivating a strong community banking dimension.
A broad range of products and services are offered – from traditional business and consumer lending to construction finance, SBA lending, entertainment finance and commercial real estate lending as well as state-of-the-art cash management and on-line banking services.
About FOOD Share
A major food bank distributing millions of pounds of food each year to those in need throughout Ventura County, FOOD Share collects and receives food year-round, distributing to more than 150 partner agencies throughout Ventura County.
FOOD Share’s Brown Bag and Snack Attack programs provide supplemental nutrition to about 1,800 low income seniors through 32 agencies and healthy nutritious after school snacks to approximately 1,800 children though 12 agencies countywide and provides food to nearly 40,000 people each month.
About MANNA of the Conejo Valley
MANNA, the Conejo Valley Food Bank, was started in 1971 by a few concerned citizens who decided to help their neighbors by gathering food items in one location for distribution and assists low-income families in the Conejo Valley, from Camarillo to Calabasas. While its primary purpose is feeding people, it also works in unison with many organizations to help people in difficult situations get back on their feet and directing people towards other groups who can provide more tools to rebuild their lives.
About Care & Share Simi Valley
Care & Share in Simi Valley provides non-perishable food items to nearly 1,400 families in need throughout the communities of Simi Valley.
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