Meet these inspiring Alabamians who are giving back on their lunch breaks

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There’s Southern hospitality—and then there’s the Alabama version. We don’t do anything half-measure, and that includes the way we give back to our beloved communities.

So when you can join together and volunteer, it’s all the better when you have an employer who makes room for that within your work day.

We found one Alabama-headquartered company that not only gives their employees a day off to volunteer each year, but makes room and resources for these efforts to continue throughout the year.

We recently learned more about Regions Bank‘s annual celebration of their employees—known as Evergreen Week—and met a few of the 400 rockstars around the state who are making their communities a little brighter along the way.

How Birmingham gives back

Ask Birmingham’s Oliver Williams the secret to his career success, and you’ll get a surprising answer: Volunteerism. For Williams, it’s the work that happens outside of his physical office that has made his team stronger, his work more fulfilling and his thinking sharp and focused.

Williams has been with Regions Bank for 14 years and currently leads the Technology and Operations Risk Management team out of its Birmingham headquarters.

We got the scoop on how Williams’ volunteer work has connected him better to a community he loves, including volunteer stints with his team at orgs like:

• 🧑‍🌾 Jones Valley Teaching Farm
• 🚲 Iron City Trykes
• 🥫 The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama
• + more!

How Huntsville gives back

Kristy Smith knows a thing or two about girls, mortgages and money management. A mother and grandmother of four, she volunteers twice a month with the Huntsville chapter of Girls Inc, helping girls build skills in budgeting and finances through a local arm of the country’s longest-running girls’ leadership program. 

For Kristy, it’s a chance to combine her passion for uplifting young folks in her free time with her day job with Regions Bank in Huntsville as a mortgage production manager. And thanks to Regions’ commitment to giving back, these things go hand in hand.

We spoke with Kristy about how Regions supports her efforts by:

• Providing a dedicated day off to volunteer: Regions’ “What a Difference a Day Makes” program provides one paid day off to volunteer with a non-profit—great for those who find their off hours full of other commitments.
• Connecting managers looking for additional volunteer opportunities: Along with team opportunities, managers are often connected with more chances to give back throughout the year.
• Celebrating volunteer efforts: Frequent employee spotlights happen all year long, but the big celebration takes place every fall with Regions’ annual Evergreen Week, which highlights associates who go the extra mile for their teams, customers + communities.

How Montgomery gives back

_{L-R: Employee Allison Bird spends the day at Habitat for Humanity; As part of their volunteer efforts, the Regions team cooked lunch for the food bank crew. (Regions Bank)}

As part of Regions’ Evergreen Week activities this year, a team of five Montgomery-area associates headed to Heart of Alabama Food Bank (HAFB), a Montgomery-based non-profit that stretches across 35 Alabama counties with direct donations or connections to shared resources. 

Together, Regions employees have accomplished quite a lot during their volunteer time at HAFB, including:

• 📦1,060 food boxes packed 
• 🍽️ 22,958 meals served 
• ⏰ 60 service hours 
• 🍔 90 burgers + hotdogs prepped for HAFB employees

We also connected with Allison Bird, Central Alabama Sales Manager for Regions Mortgage, who has logged the highest amount of volunteer hours for Montgomery Regions employees. She’s been recognized for her outstanding community engagement and service with time spent at orgs like Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin and Regions’ Next Step financial wellness events.

How Mobile gives back

For Kimberly Kringel, the drive to volunteer began at an early age. Her parents modeled the benefits of giving back and serving others, and it’s a pillar of who she is today—at home and on the job.

When she’s not serving as a branch manager for Regions Bank‘s Pinebrook and Dauphin Street locations, you might find her doing anything from collecting baby blankets for infants in need to running the New York City marathon for charity.

Learn more about Kimberly here, and catch her around Mobile (if you can) volunteering at spots like:

• 🏃‍♀️Port City Pacers
• 🫶First Light Community
• 👶 Blankets for Babies + USA Health Children’s and Women’s Hospital
• + more!

Want to give back on the clock?

If you’re feeling inspired to find a job that helps you lean into your own giving spirit, check out open positions around Alabama with Regions Bank.

In addition to being a caring, service-driven place to work—including a paid day off to volunteer—Regions connects its associates to opportunities to give back and make a difference all year long.

Learn more about the extraordinary volunteer work Regions associates are doing across Alabama.

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