As we all know, this has been a challenging year for everyone. So, as Thanksgiving approaches, we may be asking ourselves, “What do we have to be thankful for in these troubling times?”
At Maple Street, we’re thankful to have been able to help more than 200 clients across the country to stay strong so they, in turn, could help tens of thousands of small businesses with critical loans and an aggressive pursuit of the Paycheck Protection Program.
We’re grateful for the sense of community that so many of our clients deliver in their hometowns. Not only by providing loans and outstanding service, but by reaching out and giving their time to members of the community, whether or not they’re customers, who need their help.
In that spirit, Maple Street is thankful we too have had the means to support our community in these uncertain times. When Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, our local food bank, told us they were in dire need of donations to keep our community strong and well-fed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to step up and make a donation on behalf of each and every Maple Street employee, providing 5,000 meals to our neighbors in need.
We’re thankful for the generosity of our employees. Every year, team members come together to make children blankets to donate to Kids House of Seminole, a local advocacy center that provides hope and help for abused children and their families. Our Maple Street family won’t allow COVID-19 to stop us from helping kids, so, in spite of this year’s challenges, we’re still making blankets, with safety measures in place.
Finally, we’re thankful for all of our friends, both new and long-time supporters of Maple Street. We’re grateful for all the referrals you have given us over this past year to keep us growing strong. Our team of professionals is committed to empowering credit unions and community banks to thrive. We’re so appreciative when you have faith in us to refer our services to other banking and credit union executives that could benefit.
So, as we gather this holiday season – some of us only virtually – we must remember what we do have to be thankful for and that, together, we can get through this. Brighter days will be ahead.