“I often say I have the best job ever,” says Pam Zeko, community outreach specialist for Comerica Bank. Driven by the company’s long-standing commitment of helping nonprofits and small businesses to prosper, Zeko’s role is to proactively reach out and determine the best way for the bank to provide assistance — from grants and services to volunteers and marketing for their business.
These efforts fall under the umbrella of Act Local, a unique, long-running initiative that aligns with Comerica’s pledge to serve as a force for good in the community. The program began 13 years ago when Jim Weber, Comerica’s chief experience officer, asked Zeko to help bring to life his vision of supporting the community in a way that was relational rather than transactional. Together, they developed the Act Local pilot program based on Comerica’s foundational belief that when communities thrive, local businesses thrive — and vice versa.
In the northeast Dallas area alone, Comerica Bank has provided over $1.3 million in support of schools, nonprofits and other associations since the program’s inception. In addition, Comerica volunteers have shared countless manpower hours to support local organizations that have needed extra helping hands.
But Act Local support isn’t limited to funding or volunteerism. Comerica Bank’s unique approach begins through active outreach to key community organizations, rather than passively waiting for requests to flow in.
“By asking the right questions, we help in the way the community tells us matters most to them,” Zeko says. “Whether it’s assistance with a logo design or providing exposure for their brand or business, we serve as true advocates that can deliver real value on a neighborhood level.”
Zeko and Comerica have built long-lasting relationships with key beneficiaries across the region. For example, the Dallas-based bank has been the primary sponsor of the White Rock Spring Games since its inception in 2012, an event that has generated more than $300,000 for 31 East Dallas schools.
Comerica has also forged a relationship with Annie’s Place (formerly Mommies in Need), a nonprofit that allows families to access health care through a variety of support programs, including in-home nanny care and a drop-in child care center for patients and staff at Parkland Hospital.
When Annie’s Place approached Comerica for assistance in increasing exposure for local nonprofits ahead of North Texas Giving Day, the bank responded by helping it create an annual Family Fun Fest, a unique event that offers activities, prizes and snacks to families while providing much-needed information on the missions of dozens of local nonprofits. This year’s Family Fun Fest is set for Sept. 14 at the Comerica Bank parking lot located at 6260 E. Mockingbird Lane.
Another popular initiative generated by Act Local focuses on student athletes at Woodrow Wilson High School. Comerica helps provide scholarships for student athletes at the school and leads a six-month financial literacy program that the school’s Athletic Booster Club requested after the NCAA changed its name, image and likeness (NIL) rules.
The program covers foundational financial literacy subjects including an overview of sound contract negotiations. Comerica also brings in professional athletes such as Dallas Cowboys legend Darren Woodson to share personal testimonials on the importance of good money management with the students. This year marks the program’s third year at Woodrow Wilson High School and its first year at DeSoto High School.
But of all partnerships, Comerica’s ties with the Lakewood Early Childhood Parent Teacher Association (LECPTA) represents the heart of the Act Local approach. Thirteen years ago, Zeko called LECPTA to ask how the bank could help boost its key annual fundraiser, the popular Lakewood Home Tour. Since then, Comerica Bank has partnered with the group to provide unique services such as a dedicated shuttle to help move participants from house to house, and a parking lot reception to kick off the event’s popular candlelight tour.
“I am amazed by what we’ve built with Act Local and the response from our communities,” Zeko says. “I am so proud to be part of an organization that makes a difference and doesn’t simply wait around to be asked. We’ve proven that when we dream big and act local, we can really help our neighborhoods thrive.”
Visit comerica.com/succeed to learn more about how Comerica is supporting small businesses.
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