Bank of America rewards Family Support Services for community work

Bank of America donated $50,000 to Family Support Services of Amarillo, announcing the organization as its 2023 Neighborhood Champion during the FSS board meeting held Wednesday afternoon.

In addition to FSS being selected to receive the national BoA award of $50,000 in flexible grant funding, FSS also received a year of leadership training for an executive director and an emerging leader.

"Today from Bank of America we receive a $50,000 grant along with their leadership training. This will be a fantastic program which will enhance the leadership of our staff, and help our agency, especially as we go through this transition period in the new building. We are very excited and grateful," FSS CEO Jim Womack said.

Womack said the funds will benefit and further the services they provide to the clients they serve. FSS provides a variety of services, including behavioral health and wellness, crisis response and support, emergency housing, education and prevention and assistance through their veterans resource center.

According to Ashley Allen, President of BoA Amarillo, the Neighborhood Champion award is a national award and was brought to Amarillo for the second time. Amarillo's Opportunity School received the award five years ago.

Allen said they have had a long relationship with FSS, as many of their employees serve as board members and volunteer with the nonprofit, further proving their worthiness for the recognition.

"They do such a good job serving our community, we believe in their mission. They offer a lot of counseling and mental health components as well as the veterans resource center, they have been through a lot. Back in 2000 when they had the fire and lost their headquarters and through the pandemic they have continued their work. Now they are in their new building and they are flourishing and we are pleased to continue and to deepen that journey and relationship," Allen said.

According to BoA, the bank’s Neighborhood Builders program is the largest investment into nonprofit leadership development in the nation, providing funding and leadership training to nonprofits that are advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods.

For more information about FSS visit them online at https://www.fss-ama.org/

To learn more about BoA visit them online at https://www.bankofamerica.com/

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Bank of America rewards Family Support Services for community work