Philanthropy
One of our company’s core values is “Community Impact.” Each of our markets have embraced this value to create thriving employee volunteer programs and community donation programs.
Each of our four markets make independent decisions on local volunteer efforts and donations that will have the largest impact in their individual communities. Establishing and maintaining strong partnerships with local non-profit and philanthropic organizations is a key component to supporting the communities that support us.
Community Based Programs
Volunteerism and Community Support
By working closely with local organizations, we’ve made an impact by addressing multiple areas of need in the communities we serve. This includes annual donations of approximately $850,000 across our four markets and 19,000 hours of community service hours by Tompkins employees.
In Central New York, Tompkins contributes to over 200 organizations annually, with employees consistently dedicating their time to service opportunities in the community as well. The bank supports a large number of arts and theater projects such as community theaters, concert bands, and high school plays. The bank also supports projects for children – including science, education, sports, and research – as well as supporting quality and affordable childcare. Tompkins supported organizations providing care to the members of the community such as the Cortland Memorial Foundation who supports Guthrie Cortland Medical Center’s efforts to guarantee quality health care remains close to home in their region of Cortland or Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services who are dedicated to expanding low income housing options in the Central New York area.
The bank administers two awards programs that recognize exceptional efforts in volunteer work and education: the James J. Byrnes Awards for Excellence honors unpaid volunteer efforts with a monetary donation to the recipient’s non-profit of choice; and the Raymond Van Houtte Teacher Awards recognize outstanding teachers and administrators with monetary awards as well. The bank is the annual presenting sponsor of the Fab5 Young Professionals Awards, which recognizes leaders, entrepreneurs and volunteers ages 21 to 40 in Tompkins County. The awards have become a highly-regarded program that brings attention and credit to the strong work being done by young professionals.
In Western New York, in the wake of the senseless violence that occurred at a local grocery store in an underserved area of Buffalo, there was an immediate need to help the local community access food. Tompkins committed a $40,000 donation to FeedMore WNY as they worked to distribute food to members of the community affected by this tragedy. Later in 2022, Tompkins continued its partnership with FeedMore WNY through volunteer efforts by local employees packing boxes of food to be sent to those most in need.
In addition, Tompkins continued its support of local arts and education opportunities in the community, creating family friendly community events as well as supporting the institutions that create educational pathways for members of the community. This includes annual support of the Genesee Country Village & Museum, the largest living history museum in New York State, with the mission of preserving and sharing history, nature and art for generations to come. In Western New York, Tompkins also continued its long-term support for impactful organizations such as United Way and the YMCA in multiple of their local community chapters within the market.
In the Hudson Valley market of New York, Tompkins supports more than 200 organizations on an annual basis. Teams of our employees volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Local farms, Second Chance Foods, animal rescues, and so much more. Tompkins recently created a local program called the “Acorn Alliance,” in which employees may participate in up to 15 volunteer opportunities during business hours throughout the year, allowing employees the opportunity to volunteer and assist their local communities. In the Hudson Valley, Tompkins sponsored a walk to support the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, who provide for children in need of critical pediatric care. Tompkins is also dedicated to assisting members of the community find employment through Greyston foundation. Greyston works to unlock the potential of members of the community through inclusive employment and services to promote self-sufficient learning.
Tompkins in our Pennsylvania market is a longtime supporter of organizations that help children. For the past 20 years, Tompkins has participated in the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC), which supports numerous youth educational programs across southeastern Pennsylvania. Participating in EITC is a way we can direct tax dollars to positively impact children where we live and work. In recent years, Tompkins donated more than $332,000 to 51 local programs through the EITC program, bringing the total amount of donations though our participation over the years to more than $3.7 million. In addition, Tompkins committed to supporting students from Reading Area Community College (RACC) through the creation of ‘Tompkins Treats’ a communal area providing free snacks to students. RACC is granting learning opportunities to students in the local communities and Tompkins is proud to play a role in assisting students on their journey.
Financial Literacy & Education
There is a critical need for financial education in the communities we serve. We’re proud to offer many opportunities to help people thrive and grow on their financial journey. Each of our markets offer various educational opportunities, including complimentary home-buyer seminars, fraud prevention classes, investment education, and more.
Through our website, the general public can view articles dedicated to topics such as saving, credit, home buying, and other timely topics. Additionally, we offer a video series, Tompkins Talks, which delivers digestible financial education content to people looking to learn through the video medium.