United Community Bank's Patriotic Fundraising for Veterans

Last September, $330 million-asset United Community Bank in Perham, Minn., raised $16,600 for Veterans Honor Flight of ND/MN during its “Food for Flight” fundraiser, a food truck event at which the community bank sold merchandise and collected donations.

Veterans Honor Flight of ND/MN is a nonprofit organization that facilitates and funds travel to Washington D.C. for veterans. There is no fee for beneficiaries, providing them with the opportunity to see the memorials that were built to honor them.

“It is a way for us to kind of step back and just take a whole month to thank the community and show our appreciation and show that we’re all in this together,” said Trevor Semann, United Community Bank’s marketing coordinator. “We have veterans in this area, and [Food for Flight] is just this little thing of showing our appreciation for everything they did for us.”

According to Semann, 2023 was the fundraiser’s best year yet. The community bank raised enough to send 10 to 12 veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials. 

“It’s nice to be able to see the impact,” Semann said. “These veterans gave a lot for us, and to see them being able to go out there and see some of the stuff that they’ve never seen—and some of the stuff that they were a part of—that’s really special and rewarding.” —Victoria Schutz