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United Bank once again has been recognized nationally, this time earning honors from the American Bankers Association.
United recently received a 2023 ABA Foundation Community Commitment Award in the Community and Economic Development category for its partnership program with Jubilee Housing. The award will be presented during ABA's Annual Convention on Oct. 10 in Nashville.
In a partnership that originated nearly 20 years ago, United Bank and Jubilee Housing -- an organization that builds diverse, compassionate communities that create opportunities for everyone to thrive -- have worked collectively to spur revitalization efforts in several neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. that are at risk of suffering the impacts of gentrification, including displacement of longtime residents. With United's innovative financing tools, a large network of partner organizations providing wraparound services and Jubilee Housing's quality programs, this partnership has made tremendous strides to reduce poverty for D.C. families and help residents thrive.
"United Bank is committed to finding meaningful ways to move the needle on important issues affecting our communities," said Joseph LeMense, United's managing director for community development and nonprofit banking. "We are proud of the impact we have had, alongside Jubilee Housing and our partners, on affordable housing in our nation's capital. We are honored to be named as a 2023 Community Commitment Award winner and are grateful to be recognized alongside so many impressive bank programs nationwide."
Award winners were chosen by a field of nationally recognized experts.
The selection committee chose the winning banks based on the creativity and thoughtfulness of programs -- traditional or innovative in nature and structure -- that embody the ideals of corporate social responsibility and demonstrate success in making an impact.
"The nominations in each of these categories were incredibly strong, making this year's winners even more impressive," said ABA Foundation Executive Director Lindsay Torrico.
"We applaud United Bank for their commitment to community engagement and hope other banks across the country will be inspired by their efforts."
In addition to winning the Community Commitment Award, United received an honorable mention for Outstanding Overall Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program in ABA's inaugural DEI Awards. These awards celebrate member banks for their internal-facing programs, leadership and activities aimed to improve diversity, equity and inclusion within their workplace. United Bank was honored for its program, which focuses on building a sustainable and fully integrated strategy, including the implementation of initiatives ranging from developing a comprehensive metrics dashboard to executing multi-phased companywide trainings. The bank was also noted for making inroads in increasing the diversity of its staff and board of directors to better reflect the communities it serves.
These awards add to United's growing list of accolades. In 2018, United Bank was awarded by the ABA Foundation for having the top volunteer program among all banks in the country. Its core values of integrity, hard work, teamwork and caring also helped the company earn the top spot on Newsweek's 2023 list of Most Trustworthy Companies in America, ranking number one in the banks category.