YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Employees with a community bank got down and dirty Wednesday as part of WKBN’s and Farmers National Bank’s Caring for Our Community initiative.
Around 30 Farmers National Bank employees took part in Habitat for Humanity’s Build Day in Youngstown. The Landsdowne Boulevard home was donated to Habitat for Humanity. Workers rolled up their sleeves and did things like power washing, painting, sanding and even electrical work.
The bank also donated $5,000 to the cause but says it’s just as important to jump right into the revitalization work.
“It’s people from our tellers who you see at our local bank branch to our executive team,” said Chelsea Spears, who serves as the digital and communications strategist at Farmers National Bank. “Our CEO and CFO are here because we really believe in giving back to our community. You name it, we’re doing it all to help build this house and revitalize it for the neighborhood.”
And it’s not just the Mahoning Valley where Farmers Bank employees are stepping up.
“They have 70-plus individuals that have worked on this home,” said David Redig, Habitat for Humanity of the Mahoning Valley’s executive director. “They’ve actually worked with our habitat affiliate in the Canton area to make a difference in Northeast Ohio.”
Redig says applications for the home will be opening up within the next month.
“We look for three parts,” said Redig. “The ability to pay, the needs of the family, and the partnership agreement where our Habitat partner families work with us. They have to perform 250 to 500 sweat equity hours which could mean working on the home, working at The Restore, or working at the affiliate.”
The typical time it takes to rehab a home is around six months.
