Commerce Bank – Involved Today, Improving Tomorrow
Submitted by Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is pleased to sponsor and support Working Solutions and to partner with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to create opportunities for our area’s youth. For more than 30 years, Commerce has remained committed to its roots as a community-based bank and a responsible corporate citizen. The company’s leadership and 14,000+ employees appreciate the importance of giving back to the community and supporting the programs, organizations and citizens that contribute to the economic vitality, well-being and social equity of our communities.
Commerce is dedicated to expanding educational opportunities that encourage individual growth and contribute to the development of strong communities. The bank has created proprietary programs that provide educational and career development opportunities for area students, including:
- Camp Business – Commerce Bank partners with various colleges and universities to host this summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Career-minded students are introduced to the real world of business in this free, hands-on immersion program, in classes led by university professors and Commerce corporate training instructors.
- American Dream Scholarships – This program recognizes the accomplishments of students who have demonstrated strong academic achievement and a commitment to community service. Each year, Commerce awards $1,000 scholarships to more than 200 graduating high school seniors enrolling in a higher education institution.
- CommerceWOW! Zone – This free, one-of-a-kind program helps students in grades K-12 develop strong financial skills, in school and online. Trained bank instructors visit classrooms to present lesson plans on topics ranging from an introduction to saving to understanding lines of credit and the stock market. To date, the banks’ nearly 800 trained instructor employees have reached out to more than 300,000 students. The CommerceWOW!Zone also has an online component, which provides activities and information for kids, teens, parents, and educators.
Overall, Commerce Bank’s Corporate Giving Program has contributed more than $56 million – 4,900 contributions and $9 million in 2006 alone – to nonprofit organizations, helping improve the quality of life of the people living in the communities served by the bank. In 2006, Commerce donated 2% of its pre-tax income to beneficiaries – well above corporate America’s average of 1%, according to the Giving USA Foundation's 2006 annual report on philanthropy. Commerce Bank provides financial and other support to educational, community, human service, arts, and health-related programs, many of which focus on improving the welfare of children and families.
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