Bank On Hope

Giving. Generosity. Hope.

They’re probably not words you tend to associate with a bank. But that is exactly what I have just experienced and seen first hand. So, I wanted to spread some hope by sharing a feel good story and how it can impact employees, customers and community.

We hold an event each year, called Spirit of Christmas, where we gather with friends and family to make hampers for families in need. We partner with Burnside, and they distribute the hampers to these families. For the last few years NAB has donated the boxes for the hampers.

This year, as I went to collect the boxes from NAB, I was greeted by Wayne Metti and his team. They were full of smiles and as they carted the boxes to the car, Wayne shared another feel good story from the bank. The previous week they had sponsored an event for Camp Quality, where they raised over $50k for the charity. He told me that at the beginning of the day he said to his team:

We don’t work for the bank today. We work for Camp Quality.

At the end of the week the team shared their highlights – and every single person said it was their Camp Quality day.

Contribution is one of our human needs. When we are able to give back as part of our work, our sense of fulfilment and purpose grows. Employee engagement has been shown to increase when employees feel they work for a purpose driven organisation. I could see this demonstrated in the energy and enthusiasm as the NAB team carted the boxes.

I also see it in action every year at Spirit as we have other, long time donors contribute – not only from themselves, but also gathering other businesses in the community and encouraging them to contribute. Graham Cunningham runs his own business, and contributes generously from his own business, Best Price Hot Water, but also collects from his colleagues at Rheem and Eagles Plumbing. This isn’t a one off contribution. This happens every year and I see the pleasure that he gets from giving so generously. I see it with every other person who comes to the event too.

Hope, the only thing more powerful than fear.

Suzanne Collins

(said by character President Snow, The Hunger Games)

Generating opportunities to contribute lifts the spirits, raises morale and builds a sense of hope for a better world. With hope, there is possibility.

Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing.

Mary Margaret