The Mechanics Bank contributions benefit over 300 organizations

The Mechanics Bank, 100 years old October 28th 2005, could not have survived and thrived without a devoted base of customers. That support has been mutual. Some 325 civic, charitable and cultural institutions that serve the bank’s customers wherever it operates benefit from the support of this family-owned institution. Many have received support for decades.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve been given over the years,” said. Eddie Downer III, chairman of The Mechanics Bank. “Remembering the lean years during the Depression, and the tremendous faith placed in us by the people of greater Richmond area, we will always feel a bond with those communities, and an obligation to give back.”

Downer’s grandfather, E. M. Downer, infused The Mechanics Bank with commitment to community. A former weekly newspaper publisher, local postmaster and telegrapher, chairman of the Pinole-Hercules school board for 25 years and a small town mayor, he understood the needs of local communities, and believed a community bank’s justification for being was to serve those needs. That became The Mechanics Bank’s operating philosophy, carried out through its first century.

The bank has historically supported youth, education and youth-oriented programs—the kinds of programs that can help change lives by fostering skills that lead to independence., The Bank supports a variety of programs ranging from Boys and Girls Clubs, Police Activities Leagues (PAL), performing arts centers, homeless centers, local school districts, community housing development efforts, and programs for local seniors and those that help disabled persons acquire work and life skills. A key tenet is that the money must be spent within the communities served by The Mechanics Bank.

“While we admire the national support that bigger, multi-state banks provide to major organizations, we firmly believe that a community bank’s activities, whether commercial or philanthropic, should benefit the people in the areas we serve. Our loans focus on businesses and individuals in our area, and we don’t make charitable donations unless they directly benefit our local communities.”

“This centennial year, we have committed to ongoing donations of $1,000 per employee to organizations in the communities where we operate,” said Downer. “While the total may seem small compared to some major corporations, its impact is magnified because every dime is spent locally.”

In addition to money, the bank has, over the years, made significant donations of property, and in one case, forgave a major loan to a non-profit organization when it determined that paying it back would inhibit the organization’s ability to accomplish its primary goals. Several buildings and lots have benefited Richmond (the bank’s hometown) charities, including the Police Activities League, the Bay Area Rescue Mission, a local church and Boys and Girls Clubs.

“We see our corporate giving program as a part of who we are—a responsibility we feel as a community bank,” said Fernanda M. Rodrigues, assistant vice president and community affairs officer at The Mechanics Bank. “But it goes beyond monetary support. We encourage employees to get involved by serving as board members, and providing hundreds of hours of volunteer services.”

Bank employees have volunteered in huge array of cultural, educational, employment and sports activities for youth, as well as financial tutoring for adults. They sit on the boards of local chambers of commerce, business development organizations, and on professional advisory boards for civic groups.

“Being principally family-owned has given us the freedom to do things that large publicly-traded companies cannot,” said Downer, a third generation member of the founding family. “We believe that our mission extends beyond profit-making. We want to make every community in which we operate a better place.”

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