‘Meaningful and Fun': Regions Teams Celebrate Autism Awareness Month by Giving Back
By Candace Higginbotham
Regions associates celebrate many observances throughout the year, and they're more than just calendar entries. Teams across the footprint use these occasions as opportunities to roll up their sleeves and get to work supporting customers, associates and communities in different ways.
In April, Regions teams celebrated two company observances, Autism Awareness Month and Share the Good, with one very impactful volunteer activity.
Autism Awareness Month is especially meaningful at the bank because so many people are affected. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 31 eight-year-old children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder. Nearly everyone has a family member, friend or acquaintance that lives with this condition.
Share the Good is an annual, month-long community outreach program that encourages associate volunteerism. And it happens to coincide with National Volunteer Month.
This year, Schiela Peña, Disability Services and Outreach manager at Regions, wanted to make the most of both observances and host volunteer events throughout Regions' markets to benefit customers and communities.
For several years Regions has prioritized a company-wide initiative to accommodate, serve and support the autistic and neurodivergent community.Schiela Peña, Regions Disability Services and Outreach manager
'For several years Regions has prioritized a company-wide initiative to accommodate, serve and support the autistic and neurodivergent community,' Peña said. 'We've developed tailored products and services, incorporated innovative resources such as the MagnusCards app, along with specialized financial wellness curriculum and associate training. And we provide autism sensory packs and quiet rooms in many of our branches to ensure a safe and comfortable environment.'
Regions sensory packs include a stress ball, fidget cubes, sunglasses and noise-canceling earbuds that assist customers with autism who may experience sensory episodes due to noise, lights and other factors.
To ensure Regions branches are well equipped with sensory packs and to also support local organizations that serve the autistic and neurodivergent community, Peña collaborated with Bibiana Gomez, Regions Inclusion, Belonging and Impact program manager, to engage the Regions Impact Networks. More than 15 markets participated, and thousands of sensory packs were assembled. Here's just a sampling:
Memphis
Members of the Memphis Impact Network and attendees of the market officer meeting put together 150 sensory packs for local Regions branches and community partner Star Center. More than 35 associates participated and according to Hunter Linnell, Retail Operations Manager and co-chair of the Memphis Impact Network, the event was a huge success. 'Supporting the autism and neurodivergent community is important; everyone deserves to feel understood, supported, and included,' Linnell said. 'By taking small but meaningful actions like creating these sensory kits, we are helping to create environments where all individuals can feel more comfortable and respected. It's a reflection of our core values and our commitment to building stronger, more inclusive communities where every person has the opportunity to thrive.'
Indiana
The Indiana Impact Network organized a volunteer event prior to their inaugural book club meeting. The team of 18 associates made quick work of assembling 300 packs before gathering to discuss Brené Brown's book, Dare to Lead. All 41 branches in the market received a sensory pack and 25 are being delivered to The Arc of Greater Boone County. Anson Branch Manager Soofia Strain and her team are actively engaged with this organization, including delivering financial wellness sessions.
Birmingham
The team in the headquarters city was a model of efficiency, with three shifts and many hands to assemble 300 sensory packs in record time. The packs are being delivered to local branches and to community partner Disability Rights & Resources. According to Elizabeth Shaw, Regions Corporate Compliance analyst and member of the Regions Impact Network in Birmingham, it was a fulfilling effort. 'Assembling sensory packs for Autism Awareness was such a meaningful and fun experience that allowed me to contribute to creating inclusion and support to our friends with sensory needs,' Shaw said. 'I'm proud that Regions acknowledges the neurodivergent community, and I know the sensory packs will make a difference in someone's day.'
Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay Impact Network, led by network co-chair and Mortgage Regional Manager Steve Pickett and Consumer Banking Manager Adrian Goas, along with all the local branch managers, assembled 150 sensory packs that will be distributed to local branches and delivered to community partner The Arc Tampa Bay Foundation. 'This cause is near and dear to my heart, as my 20-year-old nephew is autistic and I have three local associates who share a common bond as parents of autistic children,' Pickett said. 'I am so grateful Regions is an autism friendly bank and provides resources to improve the lives of those who live on the spectrum.' The Impact Network also hosted an Autism Awareness call in April featuring three associates who are parents of autistic children who shared their experiences and offered information and education for better serving this community.
Other Regions teams supported the disability community this month in different ways. Members of the Birmingham-based Legal department spent a morning building trikes at Iron City Trykes/ Birmingham AMBUCS, a nonprofit that provides therapeutic tricycles for children and veterans with adaptive needs. 'These adaptive trikes are uniquely designed to accommodate riders of all ages and abilities, helping people overcome mobility challenges while fostering strength, confidence, and inclusion,' said Bradley Blair, Assistant General Counsel at Regions, who coordinated the activity. 'This volunteer event was a great way for our team to come together, have fun, and make a meaningful impact in our community.' Other Legal associates volunteered at the New Visions Day Program in Calera, Alabama, just south of Birmingham. New Visions provides services to adults with intellectual disabilities.
This reference sheet outlines the resources Regions provides for people with disabilities, including the autistic and neurodivergent community.
Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Regions Bank
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
17 minutes ago
- Fox News
US targets Iran's nuclear site Fordow with 'bunker buster' bombs
All times eastern THE CLAMAN COUNTDOWN: POWER PLAYERS Maria Bartiromo's Wall Street FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage
Fox News
17 minutes ago
- Fox News
Coming up on 'Fox News Sunday': June 22
All times eastern THE CLAMAN COUNTDOWN: POWER PLAYERS Maria Bartiromo's Wall Street FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage
Forbes
27 minutes ago
- Forbes
What Went Wrong With DEI? 3 Ways To Move Forward
Concept of racial equality, anti-racism, diversity, stop racism, humanity, different wood textures, ... More silhouette, diverse cultures, cultural diversity, wooden face shape, Cooperation, collaboration With headlines dominating the news cycle—'The Death of DEI' to 'The Downfall of DEI'—it is time to learn from our past and pivot inclusion work forward positively. The backlash for DEI work has always existed. Most recently, the pushback focused on specific parts of DEI. For example, hiring goals for diversity were rebranded as 'DEI hires,' and support for LGBTQ+ rights became a political stance. In my interview with Paul Ladipo, CEO and Founder of Critical Conversations Consulting, he said, 'Anti-DEI activists started by picking on Critical Race Theory (CRT). Once that gained steam, it spread to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Then, DEI became under attack at the state and university level to becoming the rationale for plane crashes.' Ladipo sees many organizations continuing DEI under different framing, pivoting to words like inclusion, belonging, or culture. He recommends leaders learn from the backlash and go beyond surface-level problems, focus on the long-term legacy impact of the work, and let go of the idea that everyone has to be an ally. Go Beyond Surface-Level Problems 'Most people know social causes at a surface level. They do not understand the more complex reasons why racism or sexism exist and how to navigate them. If they understood the issues more deeply, they would not have fallen for DEI backlash,' Ladipo proposed. Despite the recent backlash, most people want DEI work at their organizations. People cite DEI improving their employee experience and broadening their talent pipelines, leading to higher rates of innovation and business outcomes. Once people understand how issues of inclusion affect them and those they work with, they have greater empathy and connection with their teams. Reframing DEI requires going beyond surface-level problems, to deeper DEI solutions. Reframe DEI As Legacy Work Ladipo acknowledges that the DEI pushback will take a long time to heal from. Uncertainty and massive change take a toll on people over time. It is not sustainable to go through waves of pro-inclusion and anti-DEI with the news cycle. People crave consistency in times of uncertainty. Centuries of inequality will not be solved overnight. DEI is a long game. It is legacy work. It necessitates having a plan, goals, and metrics to monitor over time. Tying DEI to the business and human cases can emphasize the long-term nature of DEI with specific actions tied to a broader strategy. Accept Not Everyone Is An Ally 'Following the Civil War we saw the rise of Jim Crow discrimatory laws. After the Civil Rights Act, there was an increased focus on securing the Southern vote by appealing to white grievance politics. There will always be a part of the population that resists social change,' Ladipo cites. DEI is about meeting people where they are on their learning journeys. If people are not ready or are not interested in allyship, it cannot be forced upon them. Coqual's research finds that the overwhelming majority of people want to or are persuable as allies, yet 10% of people remain naysayers. We cannot want this work for everyone, yet 90% is reachable. The future of DEI may be uncertain, yet despite the backlash, accepting not everyone is an ally, reframing as legacy work, and going beyond surface-level problems are pivots leaders need to consider to move forward successfully.
