In collaboration with the Mississippi Bankers Association, the American Bankers Association Foundation is accepting donations to aid relief efforts in the aftermath of the destruction caused by severe storms late on March 24. Several Mississippi banks and their employees were directly affected by the storms. ABA will lead the fundraising effort by contributing $50,000 through the Foundation’s Disaster Relief Program.
The most significant damage took place in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, where homes and businesses were leveled by a massive tornado. The storm system also ripped through parts of central and Northeast Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Two employees of the Bank of Anguilla in Mississippi were injured while several employees lost homes, according to bank President and CEO Andy Anderson. One of the bank’s branches sustained damage as did the branches of other banks in the state.
All funds raised through the Disaster Relief Program will go to the Heart of the Delta Foundation, which is supporting communities in the Mississippi Delta region, and the Create Foundation, which is aiding relief efforts in Northeast Mississippi. Donations will be accepted until May 12 and are tax-deductible.
“We are devastated by the loss of life in Mississippi and know communities across the state face a long road to recovery,” said ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols. “Banks throughout the state are already stepping up to support customers and communities in need. Our hope is that by activating the ABA Foundation’s Disaster Relief Program, the entire banking industry can contribute to the relief effort and help get Mississippians back on their feet.”
