FirstBank Florida, a leading boutique bank offering an extensive suite of services for personal and professional financial requirements, presented its annual “One with Our Community” award to Teresita Canals, Residential Lending Officer with the bank.
This recognition is bestowed upon one employee of the bank in Florida who goes above and beyond volunteering within the community.
“I am honored to be this year’s recipient of the One with Our Community and be able to give such a great donation to two charities who serve our communities in such an impactful way, Canals said. “Being able to work for such a people-focused organization has opened my eyes in so many ways to always look at the bigger picture and show compassion towards those in need.”
At the bank’s annual sales rally, in addition to the acknowledgment of her efforts, Canals was handed a check for $1,500 to grant to any local charity, for which she chose to share between the following two organizations:
• $1000 to Centro Campesino Farmworker Center (Centro Campesino), a community development corporation that strengthens families in Central and South Florida. They do this by providing opportunities to access affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement and educational and leadership development.
• $500 to UNIDAD of Miami Beach, a community-based organization that serves as a social service, advocacy, leadership development, and cultural affairs organization on behalf of residents of Miami Beach in service of the welfare of the entire city, with a special emphasis on the Hispanic population. Programs provided include employment and workforce services, community information and referral, immigrant and acculturation services, senior services, and many more.
“A community bank can mean many different things to different people, however, we believe that our role is to be stewards of goodwill, knowledgeable financial advisors, and active participants in bettering the communities in which we serve,” said Calixto Garcia-Velez, regional executive and executive vice president of FirstBank Florida. “In our third year of recognizing an outstanding representative of the bank’s commitment to volunteerism, we continue to be inspired by our team, and this year, by Canals’ dedication to giving back to the community.”
For more information, contact FirstBank Florida at 305-577-6000 or visit www.1firstbank.com.
