Ingram's December 2022

personal relationships with employees. “As a result of these efforts, a philanthropic mindset is now rooted in the daily culture of our CCB family of associates,” Thompson says. “These values built the foundation of Country Club Bank,

and they continue to build it today, a reminder from our father to ‘do well, and do good.’ ” Most of the bank’s outreach focuses on building community and addressing basic needs—what Thompson calls “the most important jewels of Kansas City, which include our children and families. Investment in our youth through educational programs and social services, no matter how small, has an exponen tial, generational impact that pays dividends for decades to come. Also among these jewels are icons such as the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Starlight, the World War I Museum, MRIGlobal and other organizations that have the potential to inspire large numbers of people.” Beyond that, the bank seeks to leverage the individual interests of its employees, and engages them to determine destinations for dollars, board service, volunteering and other resources. “When you look at our broad giving as being like the capillary system of the human body, we get blood to the extremities, to the small non-profits and other organizations that are often overlooked but are vital, nonetheless,” Thompson says. Most satisfying to the Thompson family, he says, is seeing CCB associates exercise their own philanthropic spirit. “Hundreds of CCB associates participate in Team Impact as well as their own personal causes each year,” he says, and those efforts have raised millions of dollars for a diverse range of charitable causes.

There’s corporate philanthropy, and there’s generational giving. The two concepts fit together neatly at Country Club Bank as a third generation is stepping in to carry on the civic commitments of the late Byron Thompson, an iconic figure in regional banking. He put in place some general guidelines that have served the bank—and, by extension, regional non-profits—well since 1985. Thompson’s son, Mark, is part of the senior leadership team steering the philanthrop ic outreach. The bank’s programming has three foundational pillars: First, to follow the founder’s directive of hiring people committed to the community; putting structure around that philanthropy, and getting executives from non-profits through the front door to build TEAMING UP: The bank’s sweeping commitment to community life includes organizing teams of associates to bolster literacy programs in the region. COUNTRY CLUB BANK With $3.4 billion in annual revenue, H&R Block has the scale to make a philanthropic statement that can be heard across the nation. Its Block Horizons 2025 transformational strategy, in fact is focused on doing just that, with goals of supporting organizations in 500 communities in all 50 states, uplifting half a million small businesses (15 percent of which are historically unrepresented) and providing 1 million volunteer hours. What makes the Block approach so effective is the opportunity to go granular with efforts in each of those localities. “While our Make Every Block Better community impact platform has a national impact, we were intentional about partnering with local orga nizations to apply our focus on connecting neighbors and sup porting small business owners to Kansas City,” says Jen Houston, senior manager for community impact. Those hometown efforts include donations to Habitat for Humanity, the KC Rise Fund to invest in high-growth, early-stage tech businesses, as well as the Neighborhoods Rising Fund, which provides critical funding to support community-led projects in underserved neighborhoods. Black owners of small businesses find access to capital thanks to the company’s support for the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, and funding for the Urban Neighborhood Initiative creates community-building events that foster relationships and help homeowners build wealth by maintaining their homes. All of it is the product of intentionality. “Three years ago, we set out at H&R Block to focus our community efforts on neighborhood improvement—in Kansas City and across the country,” Houston says. “We believed if we could help neighbors connect, we could

reduce loneliness and isolation and we knew connected neigh bors would be the cornerstone of vibrant communities. Today, we call that work Make Every Block Better and we’re dedicated to improving the spaces and places where neighbors connect and supporting small business owners so the spirit of entrepre neurship thrives in communities.” None of this is surprising considering the philanthropic legacy created by the late Henry and Richard Bloch, the firm’s founders. “Giving back to the com munity,” Houston says, “is part of the H&R Block culture.” H&R BLOCK BLOCK BY BLOCK: A wide range of volunteer efforts at H&R Block directs employees to work sites for organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

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December 2022

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