Earth Day Art Contest

For the fourth year, Green Bank was a leading sponsor of the Earth Day Art Contest, an event developed by Air Alliance Houston. The contest is in conjunction with their annual Earth Day Houston festival and was hosted at Skyline Art Services.  This year’s art contest had over 5,000 entries from students in third through twelfth grade throughout the city of Houston. Green Bank is proud to sponsor the cash awards, given to first, second and third place winners in each grade. Separate awards were also given for People’s Choice and Overall Winner of the contest. The winning artwork was sold at the auction to raise money for the winning schools’ art programs and Air Alliance Houston.

Ever wonder about a credit report? 401 (K)? Bonds?

Local high school students get a jump on setting up a budget

Cory LeBouf, SVP Green Bank, has served on the Advisory Board for Devereux Texas since April 2011. Devereux is a non-profit treatment facility for adolescents that have suffered from chemical, physical, and/or mental problems. As a board member, he regularly attends leadership meetings where the agency’s financial performance, budgets and financial projections are reviewed.

But recently, Cory tackled finances in a different role. On April 5, Devereux held a Life Skills Day and Cory taught home budgeting. Over three sessions, he instructed 60 students on the importance of managing income, basic home-finance accounting and basic savings.

“The kids understand that they have to walk before they can run and that savings is the first step,” notes Cory. “They get the basics—if they can start now, they can describe how savings grows and how you need to look at monthly earnings before you start dreaming of all the things you want to buy.”

Before joining the Advisory Board, Cory started working with the organization's largest fundraiser – the annual Divots for Devereux golf tournament. The tournament raises more than $40,000 each year for use in Devereux’s daily needs, which include supporting the League City campus that houses over 100 students on a year-round basis. For the last two years, Cory has additionally served as co-chairman of the Golf Committee, which focuses on raising the maximum amount of dollars per year from the event.  

Capitol-city Green Bankers spend two days working on Habitat for Humanity’s newest projects in East Austin

Organized by Private Banker Jennifer Parks, the bankers joined Austinites from IBM, JPMorganChase, Bank of America, Catholic Churches of Austin and the UT Chapter of Habitat for Humanity to for exterior painting, adding corner trim and soffits, and porch and gable siding.

“Habitat for Humanity can change a family in just eight weeks; that’s about how long Habitat and it’s volunteers take to complete a home,” said Parks. “The families are impressive and we got to meet some of them. Over 54 days, Habitat takes green volunteers like our team, guides us and when we leave, something great has been built.”

This is the fourth week of construction on these two project homes—they are half way through the build. You can read more about the beneficiary families or view more pictures here.

Green Bank’s Annual Employee Volunteer Award Recognizes Bridgette Whiteing

$500 gift to food pantry recognizes her commitment to the community

Bridgette Whiteing, Green Bank branch operations manager, has been recently awarded the Outstanding Volunteer Appreciation Award for 2012. Her generosity and giving exemplifies service to the community through volunteerism.

Pastor Gaidi K. Burgess, members of the Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church and other organizations were in attendance to celebrate Whiteing’s tireless efforts with a surprise celebration at the bank.

“I was totally caught off guard. When I walked in the room and saw my partners from the food pantry; I knew something was up,” said Whiteing. “I’ve always considered volunteering an important part of my life; the recognition and gift to the pantry reminds me of the generosity of Houstonians and how each of us can build a stronger city.”

Her month is busy with service to many organizations:

• 3 hours per month at the A.S Help to Help Pantry providing assistance to those in need of food
• 8 hours per week at Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church as the financial secretary, stewardship coordinator and choir director
• 10 hours per month at GMZ General Mission Society involving community and foreign mission objectives
• 8 hours each month at GMZ Youth Ministry Outreach Program as a youth mentor and teacher
• 5 hours per month at Carrington Scholarship Fund and Education Program as a tutor and financial administrator
• 3 hours per month at Willie Thornton Scholarship Fund as an administrator
• 5 hours per month at V.O.T.E.R.S. helping inform voters in the community.

Geoff Greenwade, Green Bank president and CEO, presented Whiteing with the award and a $500 donation to the food pantry at the Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

“Green Bank is committed to the responsibility of serving Texas. We do this in a number of ways--banking services and businesses across our communities, financial contributions to leading community programs and by individual participation in community-based programs,” said Greenwade. “Often individual efforts are ignored; we believe our employees are stewards and we strive to reinforce their efforts with corporate support.”

Green Bank Completes Another RT-Houston House

For the last two weeks, more than 2,000 volunteers have been working with Rebuild Together - Houston to renovate 60 homes. The renovations include painting exteriors and wheelchair ramps, replacing rotted wood, secure doors and functioning windows and screens. The volunteer work is focused on improving the safety and appearance of the homes, and it allows elderly Houstonians to remain in their homes.

"15 bankers rolled up their sleeves and worked together on this project," said Green Bank Team Lead David Matthews, who also serves as a RT-Houston board member. "Like every project, it looked straight forward. When we got into it, we were handed a few surprises. Still, the payoff is always great: the homeowner was very appreciative and loved the new color of her home and the flowers we added."

RT-Houston has already started planning for Spring 2012. RT-Houston can be reached at (713) 659-2511 if your company, church group or group of friends would like to help.

Green Bankers join 5,000 employees from Starbucks to revitalize 20 homes in Houston

Commercial Banker David Matthews led a team of several Green Bankers to help employees from Starbucks in a caffeine-powered effort to revitalize 20 homes in the Fifth Ward. The Green Bankers and 5,000 Starbucks employees spent Thursday afternoon volunteering in a 10-acre block. In all, 10,000 Starbucks employees are visiting Houston as part of an annual global leadership conference.

Rebuilding Together - Houston was tapped by Starbucks to help identify elderly homeowners who needed a hand. Banker Matthews is a volunteer board member with RT - Houston.

"RT - Houston is experienced in mobilizing large numbers of volunteers to help needy Houstonians with home repairs and renovations that will allow them to stay in their homes. Working with Starbucks was great: we had an international team that jumped in and turned several homes around," Matthews said. "At the end of the month, RT - Houston will do it again with Houston volunteers working on 100-plus homes across our city."

Volunteers are still needed for the upcoming fall volunteer day. If your company or church would like to volunteer, contact RT - Houston.

Starbucks' efforts have earned the attention of the Houston Chronicle. You can read more about its conference in Thursday's paper or online.

Community Archives

Dallas’ Paul Quinn College Organic Garden Produces More Than Food

August 31, 2012

Houston Green Banker Invests in Homes

April 5, 2012

Green Bankers join local powerhouse to support entrepreneurship in Houston

January 31, 2012

Free Holiday Computer Recycling at Green Bank benefitting Techs & Trainers and Goodwill ComputerWorks

December 19, 2012

Austin Green Banker Continues Tradition of Winning

December 19, 2012

Green Bank Anchors Environmental Education Zone at Earth Day Houston 2011

April 23, 2011

Green Banker Joins Board of CROSSROADS

April 14, 2011

Rebuilding Together Houston – Green Bank Restores Home

April 9, 2011

Tree Sale Greens Houston and Helps Local Nonprofit

February 26, 2011

Green Bank's Annual Computer Drive Shatters Previous Record

January 13, 2011

Green Bank Joins Volunteer Effort To Rejuvenate Little Cypress Creek Preserve

November 10, 2010

Bring hats and bandanas for MD Anderson patients to Green Bank Locations

June 20, 2010

Green Bank Holds Arbor Day Tree Sale With Trees For Houston

May 27, 2010

Green Bankers Celebrated Earth Day at Discovery Green

April 7, 2010

The Citizens’ Environmental Coalition honors local volunteers at its annual Synergy Awards

December 1, 2009