In a combined effort to help provide educational resources to the St. Louis community, First Bank partnered with the St. Louis County Library to help support and nourish learning outside of the classroom. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, First Bank worked with the St. Louis County Library to help fund art kits to distribute into the community.
“First Bank was very supportive when this program first began,” said Stacy Clay, First Bank’s Director of Community Affairs. “We helped the St. Louis County Library with their initial funding to start this program and help facilitate learning.” The art kits are intended to inspire children to use their imaginations and creativity.
This program will benefit children who may not have reliable access to the internet and are struggling with online learning as a result. When learning took a virtual turn due to COVID-19, some children had more difficulty than others completing assignments. According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 14% of children through the ages of 3 and 18 did not have internet access at home when schoolwork went digital, and more than 9 million schoolchildren faced difficulty completing assignments online. These art kits are included in the Drive Through Meals program that are being distributed this summer at St. Louis County Public Library branches.
As well, the kits included information regarding First Bank's Kids Cash Savings account, a youth savings program designed to teach good money habits.
Learn more about First Bank’s community involvement or Savings Account Options.