Every Little Bit Helps
Every Little Bit Helps
Discover how a community came together to do its part for a nonprofit doing so much for its community.
了解社區是如何團結起來爲一家非營利機構儘自己的一份力量的。
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 18, 2024 / Regions Bank
2024年6月18日，馬薩諸塞北安普頓市/ACCESSWIRE/地區銀行。
By Kim Borges
作者：金博吉斯
"The Lord is going to put me where I need to be when I need to be there."
“當我需要的時候，上帝會把我放在我需要的地方。”
Those words anchored Miranda Walker Jones when a flood swept nearly everything away.
當洪水席捲幾乎所有的東西時，這些話給米蘭達·沃克·瓊斯打下了錨。
Walker Jones had joined The Little Bit Foundation as its CEO just eight months before historic rains fell on St. Louis in July of 2022, extensively damaging the nonprofit's office and a warehouse filled with clothing and education supplies for children they serve.
在2022年7月聖路易斯遭到歷史性降雨襲擊的前八個月，沃克·瓊斯已經加入了The Little Bit Foundation成爲其CEO，辦公室和倉庫裏充滿了爲服務兒童提供的衣物和教育用品，但遭到了嚴重的損壞。致力於支持有需要的家庭的組織，發現自己需要幫助。
The organization dedicated to supporting families in need found itself in need of support.
致力於支持有需要的家庭的組織，發現自己需要幫助。
Then, the phone rang.
然後，電話響了。
"I got a call from Eric Madkins, who said, 'We heard about what happened; Regions wants to help,'" said Walker Jones. "It was the first call I received."
“我接到了埃裏克·馬德金斯的電話，他說，‘我們聽說發生了什麼事情，Regons想要幫助，’”瓊斯說。“這是我收到的第一個電話。”
Madkins confirmed Regions Bank in St. Louis would provide a $5,000 donation, followed by several more companies committing contributions, too. It was an easy call for Madkins given the organization's impact and reach.
馬德金斯確認，聖路易斯地區的Regions銀行將提供5000美元的捐贈，隨後還有幾家公司承諾捐款。對於某組織的影響和覆蓋面，馬德金斯的決定很容易做出。
The work The Little Bit Foundation does to help break the cycle of poverty for families across St. Louis is transformational.
Eric Madkins, Community Development manager for Regions Bank in Missouri
Little Bit Foundation爲聖路易斯各個家庭打破貧困循環所做的工作是具有變革性的。
埃裏克·馬德金斯，密蘇里Regions銀行的社區發展經理。
"The work The Little Bit Foundation does to help break the cycle of poverty for families across St. Louis is transformational," explained Madkins, Community Development manager for Regions Bank in Missouri. "Their outreach across 50 schools provides thousands of students with access to essential supplies while empowering them through educational support and helping them build self-confidence. Regions is proud to lend our support to elevate their mission."
密蘇里Regions銀行的社區發展經理埃裏克·馬迪金斯解釋道: “Little Bit Foundation爲聖路易斯各個家庭打破貧困循環所做的工作是具有變革性的。50所學校的他們跨區域服務爲數千名學生提供必需品，並通過教育支持賦權，幫助他們建立自信。Regions銀行很自豪能夠支持和提升他們的使命。”
Meaning, when the bank's Big Bike recently rolled into St. Louis for its latest weeklong celebration of activities, it stopped at Laura's Run 4 Kids, a 5K run and one-mile family walk benefitting The Little Bit Foundation. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.
這意味着，銀行的巨型自行車最近在聖路易斯滾動進行了最新的爲期一週的活動慶祝活動中，它將停在勞拉的Run 4 Kids這裏，這是一個5公里的比賽和一個爲The Little Bit Foundation籌款的家庭步行的運動。天空中沒有一片雲。
"We had perfect running weather, it could not have been a more beautiful day," said Walker Jones. "And the kids and I loved that Big Green Bike."
沃克·瓊斯說:“我們有完美的跑步天氣，這可以是一個更美好的日子，”瓊斯說。“孩子們和我都喜歡那個大綠色的自行車。”
The kids - 200 served by The Little Bit Foundation - joined 400 adults from the community to run in support of the cause.
200個由The Little Bit Foundation提供服務的孩子，和400位社區成人一起，爲支持這個事業而奔跑。
"We had students from 10 different schools we serve, all united in the excitement of being in the park and their love for running," said Walker Jones. "These kids were pushing us. The adults seemed to really enjoy running with them (see below for more about Regions' runners). That day showed the best of our children."
瓊斯說:“我們服務的10所不同學校的學生，都在公園裏團結起來跑步的激動人心的感受中，”瓊斯說。“這些孩子在推動我們。成年人似乎真的很喜歡和他們一起跑步(更多關於Regions的跑步者，請參閱下文)那天展示了我們的孩子最好的方面。”
Walker Jones can always find a silver lining - not just on good days like race day, but even amid natural disasters.
沃克·瓊斯總是能找到一線希望——不僅是在比賽日這樣的好日子，而是在自然災害中。
These kids were pushing us. The adults seemed to really enjoy running with them. That day showed the best of our children.
“這些孩子在推動我們。成年人似乎真的很喜歡和他們一起跑步。那天展示了我們的孩子最好的方面。”
"People said they never saw me sweat," she recalled of the weeks following the flood. "I had people ask, 'How much can you endure in a given moment?' For me, it's higher than many. I credit that to growing up in East St. Louis, a tight-knit yet extremely under-resourced community. It helped me build my resiliency muscle."
“人們說他們從來沒有看到我出汗，”她回憶說。“我有人問我，‘你在一個給定的時刻能承受多少?’對我來說，比許多人都要高。這得歸功於我成長於東聖路易斯——一個緊密而極度資源匱乏的社區。它幫助我鍛鍊了自己的適應能力。”
Walker Jones knows the challenges youth served by The Little Bit Foundation face; but more importantly, she knows their ability to overcome them.
沃克·瓊斯知道The Little Bit Foundation爲的青年所面臨的挑戰;但更重要的是，她知道他們克服這些困難的能力。
"I resonate with children growing up in neighborhoods like I did," Walker Jones said. "Our kids aren't always seen as the potential scholars and future leaders they are. But I know our future is secure when I talk with them. There are so many things I get to witness every day that convince me of it."
沃克·瓊斯說：“我與在像我一樣的社區長大的孩子有共鳴。我們的孩子不總是被視爲潛在的學者和未來的領袖。但當我與他們交談時，我知道我們的未來是安全的。有很多事情每天都讓我深信不疑。”
And Walker Jones and team are doing everything in their power to ensure those good things continue.
沃爾克·瓊斯及其團隊正在竭盡全力確保這些好事情得到延續。
Last year, The Little Bit Foundation created a Wellness and Family Support division. Earlier this year, they brought on a case management team to offer therapy services and they'll expand to six more schools by the end of 2024.
去年，小小基金會創建了健康和家庭支持部門。今年早些時候，他們組建了一個案件管理團隊，提供治療服務，並計劃在2024年年底前擴展到另外六所學校。
Oh, and they're moving into their new permanent headquarters this summer, too.
噢，他們也將在今年夏天搬入新的永久性總部。
"I've been here two-and-a-half years and there's never been a dull moment," Walker Jones said. "Every day, I'm living the dream."
沃克·瓊斯說：“我在這裏工作兩年半了，從來沒有乏味的時刻。每天，我都在生活夢想。”
And in the most difficult moments, she's learned valuable lessons.
在最困難的時刻，她學到了寶貴的經驗教訓。
"I'm a bit of a hoarder and a nester," Walker Jones said. "When everything is gone in an instant, it makes you think about things as things. The fact that my staff was safe, they were OK ... the people are the things that drive us. As long as the people stay intact, and we keep our mentality in a positive space, we can make it through anything."
沃爾克·瓊斯說：“我有點囤積和居家。當一切在瞬間消失時，它讓你把事物看作是事物。我的工作人員是安全的，他們沒事...人是驅動我們的事物。只要人們保持完整，並保持積極的心態，我們就可以通過任何事情。”
People including the team at Regions Bank.
包括銀行業隊伍。
"You were the first ones to help us get back on our feet, unprompted," Walker Jones said. "You knew the work. You can't ask for any better partnership."
沃克·瓊斯說：“你們是第一個無私地幫助我們重新站起來的人。你們了解我的工作。你們不能尋求更好的合作伙伴。”
Running for - and with - the Kids:
爲孩子奔跑：
Several Regions associates laced up their sneakers to support The Little Bit Foundation, a bank customer. "The Clayton and Jennings teams are part of what I call my personal financial team," said Walker Jones. "They're like family."
幾個地區的同事穿上運動鞋支持銀行客戶小小基金會。沃克·瓊斯說：“克萊頓和詹寧斯團隊是我稱之爲我的個人財務團隊的一部分。他們就像家人一樣。”
We connected with Scott Hartwig, Commercial Banking leader and Greater St. Louis Market Executive, and Amanda Bridwell, Consumer relationship banker-team lead at the Creve Coeur West branch, to ask about their 5K experience.
我們聯繫了商業銀行領導和大聖路易斯市場行政負責人Scott Hartwig和Creve Coeur West分行的消費關係銀行主管Amanda Bridwell，請他們談談他們的5K體驗。
How many races have you completed?
你完成了多少次比賽？
Bridwell: I've been a regular runner and walker for 12 years. I've run 25 to 30 5Ks and a handful of half marathons.
布里德威爾：我已經成爲一個規律的跑步者和散步者已經有12年了。我跑過了25到30個5K和一些半程馬拉松比賽。
Hartwig: I completed seven half marathons between 10 to 15 years ago and have done 15-plus 5Ks.
哈特威格：我在10到15年前完成了7次半程馬拉松比賽，並參加過15個以上的5K比賽。
Tell us about your race day experience.
告訴我們你的比賽日經歷。
Bridwell: I participated in the 5K with my husband, Matt, and my dog, Roxie. The highlight for me was the kids. Many walked up and asked if they could pet Roxie. They would then bring a friend who was maybe afraid of a dog and show them how friendly she is.
布里德威爾：我和我丈夫馬特以及我的狗Roxie一起參加了5K比賽。對我來說，亮點是孩子們。許多人走過來問能否撫摸Roxie。然後他們會帶來一個可能害怕狗的朋友，並向他們展示她有多友好。
Hartwig: Seeing all the fun the kids were having just being kids was also fun for us as adults. They took off and were all over the place! You don't often see that at a 5K. It was funny to watch since kids don't pace themselves with running.
哈特威格：看到孩子們只是成爲孩子，享受生活也對我們成年人來說很有趣。他們開始奔跑，到處都是孩子！你不經常在5K比賽中看到這種情況。看着孩子們這樣做真是有趣，因爲孩子們不會以跑步的速度來計劃自己。
Why was it important for Regions to support this event?
爲什麼支持這項賽事對Regions很重要？
Bridwell: It's important because we talk about financial education and helping our customers. It starts here by serving younger kids.
布里德威爾：這很重要，因爲我們談論的是金融教育和幫助我們的客戶。從服務年輕孩子開始。
Hartwig: The work The Little Bit Foundation does to fight poverty through education aligns with our community pillars and goes hand in hand with what we're teaching through financial education.
哈特維希望把The Little Bit Foundation爲教育而戰的工作和我們在金融教育上的教學相結合，以此支持我們的社區支柱。
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Regions Bank on 3blmedia.com.
在3blmedia.com上查看來自Regions銀行的其他多媒體和更多ESG故事。
Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Regions Bank
聯繫信息:
發言人：Regions銀行
SOURCE: Regions Bank
來源：Regions銀行。
譯文內容由第三人軟體翻譯。