First Farmers Bank & Trust provides summary of “Growing Good” community support initiative

Converse, Indiana, Nov. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the early stages of the COVID-19 response, First Farmers Bank & Trust launched a community program throughout its 36-location branch footprint to provide sustained support to organizations at risk from a funding standpoint. The Growing Good program featured three distinct elements aimed to connect and strengthen existing support networks and provided monetary support to organizations and individuals in need. Direct funding commitments to community foundations throughout Indiana and Illinois resulted in over $85,000 in donations to feed families in need and other considerations. Through the “Pigs to People to Pork” initiative, the organization was able to partner with pork producers, local processors, and Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry to provide over 20,000 pounds of frozen ground pork protein to food banks and rescue missions in both states. Finally, the “In this Together” initiative featured branch employee participation and contributions in all markets assisting EMS/first responders, police & fire departments, healthcare heroes, postal workers and humane shelter volunteers. In total through October, over $370,000 in direct assistance has been distributed to organizations placed in funding crises as a direct result of COVID-19.

“The board of directors and executive leadership team recognized that there would be an immediate funding impact to not-for-profit entities falling outside of federal program support. There was also immediate recognition of the supply chain disruption on protein distribution to food banks and direct meal assistance. We’re grateful that we could work directly with local entities to meet both the emergent needs and sustained challenges throughout the year. We’re still seeing new challenges come up in a variety of areas that are a result of massive changes to production and distribution processes. We’ll continue to look for more ways to help our communities because the overall impact is far from over.” -Tade J Powell, Sr. Vice President, Communications & Public Relations Director

First Farmers Financial Corp is a $2.1 billion financial holding company headquartered in Converse, Indiana. First Farmers Bank & Trust has offices throughout Carroll, Cass, Clay, Grant, Hamilton, Howard, Huntington, Madison, Marshall, Miami, Starke, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vigo and Wabash counties in Indiana and offices in Coles, Edgar and Vermilion counties in Illinois. First Farmers Financial Corp is traded on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. "OTCQX" exchange under the ticker symbol: FFMR.

CONTACT: Tade J Powell First Farmers Bank & Trust 765-293-4162 tade.powell@ffbt.com