First American Bank in Artesia, New Mexico, embraced the spirit of Random Acts of Kindness Month in February. The $1.95 billion-asset bank took part in Alamogordo Public Schools’ month-long celebration aimed at promoting kindness and mental wellness.
Employees at the bank joined the initiative, hosting events such as Chalk Your Walk Day, where they decorated the Alamogordo branch’s sidewalks with messages of positivity and inspiration.
Consumer lender Sue Strother and teller Cody Reed came up with the messages and wrote them in chalk on the sidewalks outside the Alamogordo branch. According to Doreen Padilla, Alamogordo branch manager for First American Bank, the messages had a noticeably positive effect on customers who visited the branch.
“The customers thought it was great,” she said. “They thought it had a very positive effect on them—[it] made their day [and] their mood better, and they enjoyed it.
“Our main focus is to contribute to the communities that we serve,” she added. “We always want to be involved in the community, especially when it comes to students and kids. That’s where our hearts are.”
To foster kindness and compassion in the community while promoting student mental health and well-being, the entire Alamogordo community was encouraged to complete daily kindness challenges throughout the month. These challenges were tied to weekly themes like “Do something kind,” “Say something kind,” “Be a kindness superhero” and “Be kind to yourself.”
