Baker Boyer Bank and its employees donated more than $205,000 and dedicated countless hours of volunteerism and service to nonprofit and civic organizations, programs and events in the communities it serves in 2021. The company’s corporate sponsorships, donations and volunteer commitments, detailed in Baker Boyer’s Annual Giving Report, reflect the bank’s dedication to the strength and vibrancy of its communities in a year marked by ongoing economic hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I am proud to say that the Bank and its employees once again focused our efforts on helping the communities we serve weather through the COVID-19 storm,”

said Baker Boyer President and CEO Mark Kajita. “Although the economy continued to improve, there were many in our communities that needed additional support and assistance in this unprecedented time of hardship due to the Pandemic.” 

The contributions include more than $205,000 in sponsorships and charitable gifts to 61 organizations in the Walla Walla, Milton-Freewater, Tri-Cities and Yakima areas. The funds were used on everything from food security to EpiPens and helped support domestic violence shelters and general social services. $45,000 was designated for operational costs among six nonprofit organizations facing unique challenges from the pandemic. Baker Boyer worked with United Way representatives in the Walla Walla Valley, Tri-Cities, and Yakima to help determine the greatest need for nonprofits in each area. Recipients included: The Health Center in Walla Walla ($10,000), Lillie Rice Center in Walla Walla ($10,000), Milton-Freewater Neighborhood Senior Center ($5,000), Wellness House in Yakima ($10,000), Voices for Children in Yakima ($5,000) and Safe Harbor in Tri-Cities ($5,000). In addition to sponsorships and charitable giving, Baker Boyer continued to support small businesses and entrepreneurs through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Throughout 2020 and 2021, they helped businesses in Eastern Washington secure a total of 547 loans totaling $76.2 million. 

Baker Boyer’s IT Solutions team was responsible for a $10,000 donation to Walla Walla’s Blue Mountain Action Council. The money was a prize from the 2021 FIS Impact Award program, which recognizes forward-looking organizations that use technology to enhance customer service and drive tangible results. BMAC had been selected as the bank’s designated charitable partner to be the beneficiary of the team’s prize. The funds allowed BMAC to offer the community free financial foundation courses in English and Spanish. 

Another highlight of the Annual Giving Report is the volunteerism of employees, who dedicated hours of their time to support vaccination clinics, park cleanup efforts and the launch of a digital financial education program that benefitted 265 students in local schools and continues to grow. 

“This Annual Giving Report is just a small representation of all that Baker Boyer does for our communities,” Kajita said. “Our commitment to assisting where we can so that all of us can grow and prosper together is the real reason we do what we do.” 

You can find a published copy of the Annual Giving Report at any of our locations or click here to read it.