As another year comes to a close, we reflect on the contributions made by Northrim employees and the Bank in the past year. Everyone at Northrim takes their commitment to Alaska very seriously and is honored to be able to help our communities with contributions throughout the year. 2021 was another difficult year for many, so it was important to the Bank to continue with its tradition of giving.
As in years past, Northrim employees showed their generous spirit. Employees participated the annual United Way Campaign and raised over $155,500 in support of local communities throughout Alaska and in Washington State. This total includes direct donations from employees and Northrim’s 50 percent match for employee gifts to United Way.
Bank employees continued their volunteer work in their local communities as well. Volunteering was still different this year, but Northrim employees showed that they truly support their communities and continued to give generously of their time. “Our employees demonstrated their generosity and team-work with their support of many organizations throughout the year,” noted Joe Schierhorn, Chairman, President and CEO. During 2021, Northrim employees volunteered over 1,600 hours in their local communities.
In addition to the generosity by employees, Northrim Bank also contributes a substantial amount to support Alaska organizations. Each year, Northrim focuses its corporate giving on organizations that help in community and economic development, programs to strengthen low income families, and higher education. During 2021, Northrim Bank contributed nearly $600,000 to organizations throughout Alaska.
In late 2021, Northrim Bank’s Chief Operating Officer, Mike Martin passed away. To honor his legacy, the Bank created The Michael Martin Youth & Sport Development Endowment Fund with the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage (NSAA). The $100,000 endowment will be used to ensure that NSAA is able to promote cross-country skiing as a health and wellness activity and is made available to children of low-income families throughout diverse neighborhoods.
For 2022, bank employees, the Board of Directors, and executive leadership will continue to share with communities throughout Alaska. Northrim’s Proud to be Alaskan value is based on strongly supporting its communities and a genuine appreciation for its customers and neighbors. This will continue well into the future. For more information about Northrim’s community engagement and corporate giving, please visit https://northrim.com/about-northrim/about-us/community.