Tuesday, July 18, 2023, the lobby of Simmons Bank in White House was bustling with smiles. Gold mylar balloons spelled out “1,000” in celebration. Local non-profit, His Children Foundation, was handed a $1,000 check by Simmons Bank Financial Center Manager Kate Key and Sr. Payment Solutions Consultant Carmen Smith. It’s a snapshot moment from a partnership begun in October 2022.

Kate met Jessica Brown, Co-founder of His Children, at the White House Chamber’s Safety Day. That October event served as His Children’s introduction to the community. After visiting their booth, Kate returned to her branch determined to help the organization because their mission was near and dear to her heart. 

Kate’s own childhood had been impacted by a charitable organization. “Growing up my brother and I had a couple Christmases where, had there not been an organization that had helped my mom with presents, we wouldn’t have had anything,” said Kate. “I remembered that feeling and can understand how it feels to want to have things that are yours as a kid.”

“She was so excited,” recalled Carmen Smith, who was the Financial Center Manager at that time before being promoted to her current position in the Treasury Management Department. Kate had shared with Carmen and the rest of the branch that His Children Foundation was providing backpacks to foster kids—this gesture was derived from the need for foster children to have something of their own that they can carry with them no matter how many doors they walk through. Everyone was on board to help, but they weren’t sure how.

Weeks later they found part of their answer. The team from Simmons Bank began Christmas shopping for His Children Foundation. “We shopped on Amazon and at Wal-Mart and then stuffed gift bags at work,” said Kate. “It really only required a time commitment from us—a couple hours,” added Carmen. 

A few months after that, Simmons is now able to do more to support His Children Foundation. “I’ve been looking for ways we could partner financially,” recounted Carmen. As soon as she spotted a qualifying grant through the bank, she sent the application to the Browns. 

Simmons approved the request, sending the check this month. “We are so excited because they are a wonderful organization,” stated Carmen. “White House has such a great community feel…everybody wants to be involved and give back, make some kind of difference. His Children (Foundation) is a part of that, and being able to promote an organization like this with a positive impact on our kids is a wonderful feeling.”

That feeling is shared by His Children Foundation too. Jessica said, “We are so thankful for our partnership with Simmons Bank. Not only do we consider them our friends, but being a mini-grant recipient is just icing on the cake!” 

This grant is providing bags for His Children Foundation’s largest order to date. Thirty bags will be headed to Bethany Christian Services, filling an immediate need for foster kids in their program. “We won’t even have to fundraise,” proclaimed Jessica. 

Those gold, mylar balloons shaped in the digits of 1-0-0-0 are more than the dollars they represent. They signify thirty gifts of ownership, thirty opportunities to claim identity, and thirty lives being reminded that they are not forgotten. A beautiful, powerful partnership indeed.