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Tremendous community partners and sponsors that make all of our programs possible. We’re starting a series called “Sponsor Spotlight” that will highlight how these sponsors are making an impact in communities – and especially with Young Americans.
Getting to know: CoBank
Although CoBank is one of the top 25 largest banks in the U.S. and has been named one of the “World’s 50 Safest Banks” by Global Finance magazine for three years running, you may be unfamiliar with the Greenwood Village-based institution. That’s because it is a cooperative bank serving agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit associations, rather than a consumer lending institution. CoBank’s commitment to rural America can be seen in many of its charitable contributions including its signature giving program, Sharing Success, which matches the contributions of its customers to charitable initiatives benefitting rural communities. But CoBank also gives back generously to the communities in which its employees live and work.
CoBank and Young Americans
The kiosks allow students to check their balances, answer a survey, order a product, submit a newspaper story idea, and more.
CoBank has been a strong supporter of Young Americans for many years. Without the bank’s support, our most recent expansion of Young AmeriTowne On the Road would not have been possible. Last year, it provided much of the capital to bring AmeriTowne into the technological age. The upgrade included kiosks in Towne square where students can do a number of things, like check their checking account balances or shop online for a briefcase, as well as tablets in each shop with point-of-sale systems. Because the system is cloud-based, it meant we can set up anywhere with a wi-fi hotspot, which has made On the Road feasible for the first time.
This year, CoBank’s gift went towards the construction of On the Road itself which was piloted with its first ‘citizens’ last week in the new CoBank Leadership Center inside Mile High United Way’s new headquarters. This travelling AmeriTowne will enable us to serve students at smaller schools and those too far away to travel to our brick-and-mortar locations.
We can’t thank CoBank enough for its support and for making it possible for more students across the state of Colorado to gain access to important lessons in financial literacy. Our partnership with CoBank is a great example of how industry leaders can give back in meaningful ways. We look forward to our continued relationship with CoBank and all that we will achieve together.
If you’d like to learn more about CoBank’s work in the communities they serve, visit their site here.
