Sunflower Bank and Habitat for Humanity Unite in Multiple Markets to Support Affordable Housing
Habitat for Humanity is an organization that has built a unique partnership with our bank in recent years. Multiple independent relationships have grown between our banking and mortgage teams and their local Habitat for Humanity locations in different areas across the country. We take pride in our partnerships with community organizations and recognize the impact these partnerships can make, so we encourage these locally-driven partnerships.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity (HFH) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to building and renovating affordable homes for families in need, so everyone has a decent place to live. By primarily relying on volunteer labor and donations to construct homes, in partnership with prospective homeowners, Habitat for Humanity emphasizes community involvement and sustainable building practices. HFH offers families a no-interest mortgage, in exchange for contributing “sweat equity” by working on their own homes or those of others.
Kristin Fox (left), volunteering at a HFH event.
Sunflower Bank’s Partnership with Austin Habitat for Humanity Extends Beyond a Traditional Bank-Client Relationship
Since 2021, we have proudly served as a banking partner for Austin Habitat for Humanity (HFH). The services we provide Austin HFH include a significant deposit relationship and other resources as needed. While this financial partnership has allowed us to establish a connection with the organization, our engagement extends beyond just providing banking services.
Thanks to the commitment of our mortgage and commercial banking teams and a mutual commitment to enhancing affordable housing in Austin, we have worked with Austin HFH on multiple community support initiatives. Our teams are also frequent participants in in Austin HFH corporate build days and fundraising events.
In addition to supporting HFH events, Kristin Fox, Mortgage Sales Leader, helped establish our home loan division, Guardian Mortgage, as a lender partner for Austin HFH. This lender partnership resulted in Guardian Mortgage creating a mortgage loan program specifically for Austin HFH homebuyers. The Conventional 30-year fixed-rate loan is priced below the existing market rate and aims to make homeownership more accessible for low to moderate-income families, allowing down payment assistance and other financial relief programs.
Guardian Mortgage Team in Spokane, WA Understands What Homebuyers Want in a Community
Our Guardian Mortgage team in Spokane, WA has made a commitment to partner with as many community organizations as possible to help those in need. Whether it is supporting disaster relief, a community service event, or ongoing volunteer opportunities around Spokane, the Guardian Mortgage team finds many ways to be involved. The team understands that people want to buy homes in a community where members are committed to improving it for everyone.
Habitat for Humanity-Spokane has been an easy choice for the Spokane Guardian team to partner with on multiple occasions. One effort included Guardian team members joining Habitat for Humanity representatives and other community members to help build a home for an individual local family. Another group volunteered in a Habitat for Humanity “Blitz Build” event helping ease the stress on the HFH team members who were building groups of homes over the course of days.
These volunteer opportunities serve as a unique moments for many members of the Guardian team because they are usually more committed to putting families into homes, but in this case are able to see the process from a different perspective.
Banking and Employee Connections in Santa Fe, NM Provide Multiple Opportunities for Collaboration and Support
Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity (HFH) is also a bank customer that we support, both through serving their financial needs and by finding ways to help them achieve their mission.
Since 2019, we have made annual donations totaling $10,000 to Santa Fe HFH through sponsorships and general contributions, a tradition that we intend to continue for the foreseeable future. While we love donating to local organizations, our contributions to Santa Fe HFH go beyond monetary support. Our team in Santa Fe enjoys getting to participate in and support HFH events.
Santa Fe-based Business Banking Team Lead, Randy Lucero, provides a deep connection between the bank and Santa Fe HFH. Randy has been an active member of the SFHFH board since 2021. In this role, he has come to understand the needs of both the community and Santa Fe HFH from a unique perspective. Randy also keeps the bank aligned and in communication with an organization that is a pillar of support to the community.
Sunflower Bank is committed to growing the communities we serve and ensuring affordable housing for all. We look forward to growing the impact of these partnerships and the opportunities to establish additional relationships between our banking teams and Habitat for Humanity in other markets.