Alva Review-Courier -

Bank It: A Habit of Helping Foundation donated $5,430 to the Girl Scouts Service Unit 629 for Bank It's second quarter CommUNITY Vision.

The girl scouts will use the funds to revitalize the Girl Scout Hut located at Hatfield Park in Alva.

"The troops are thankful for the opportunity to be chosen for the Bank It Program," Charleen Ream, troop leader, said. "The hut has been showing signs of wear and tear and we are excited to use the funds for long overdue updates. Thank you so much for including us in your vision."

Each quarter, Bank It chooses a vision, which is an organization selected by the Bank It board members. Donations received during that quarter are presented to the designated vision. Donations can be received at any Alva financial institution, along with Hopeton State Bank. Patrons also have the opportunity to complete an auto draft to make their donation seamless.

A unique feature of Bank It is the way the donations are dispersed. Once donations are accepted, the funds are dispersed into three separate accounts. One account is the Rainy Day fund where 15 percent of the donations are pledged. This fund is set up to aid families in crisis. The Rainy Day Fund will help those families that encounter devastating life changes. The second account is the Growth Fund where 20 percent of funds are allocated. This fund is set up to ensure the future of the organization and its ability to help the community of Alva. The quarterly visions receive 65 percent of all donations received.

"The goal of Bank It is to create a habit, that's why we are called Bank It – A Habit of Helping Foundation. The name also stems from our hope that local patrons will "bank" on Alva by donating at their local bank," said Magen Lehr, Bank It president. "If people can turn their small donation into a habit of giving each month, we can make a big difference in our community. Our organization continues to help those in need, and the Alva community and financial institutions have done an incredible job in supporting our mission."

Another way to help with Bank It is to use Amazon Smiles when making purchases through Amazon. Go to smile.amazon.com, choose your charity as Bank It – A Habit of Helping Foundation, and make your purchase as normal. Amazon donates a portion of the purchase directly to Bank It.

Bank It is currently in the third quarter CommUNITY Vision, which means donations go toward The Little Red Hens until Sept. 30, 2022.

For more information on Bank It and how to donate, visit ahabitofhelping.com or like Bank It's FaceBook page at nwokbankit.