Few things bring people together better than a common goal — especially if work toward that goal can be achieved in a fun way. Take the annual Celebration! White Rock event, for example. At the 5k and 10k runs (with a post-run party, of course), the White Rock Lake Conservancy was able to raise $88,000 in 2024 to support the improvement of White Rock Lake Park. Comerica Bank has sponsored the event since its inception 10 years ago and, this year, brought an element of fun to the fundraising experience: the Comerica Community Engine. This 12-foot trailer was used to pump up event attendees before the race with music and refreshments and to set the tone of the after party, too.
For White Rock Lake Conservancy, a 10-year partnership with Comerica Bank has enabled the organization to pour more back into the community. “Comerica’s support of Celebration! White Rock has helped solidify it as a community event and brought out more runners and volunteers,” says Jennifer Hoesterey, director of White Rock Lake Conservancy.
The Comerica Community Engine is one way that the bank supports local organizations through its longstanding community outreach program, Act Local. As part of this robust initiative, Comerica Bank reaches out to community partners to understand their priorities so that the bank can invest in the most impactful ways. The Comerica Community Engine was birthed out of this ongoing partnership with local organizations.
With dual-sided windows, a portable generator, two flip-down televisions to display customizable messaging, a sound system with a microphone, hooks for signage, and warming and cooling spots for food and drinks, the trailer is a flexible resource that organizations can use however they need at events — and they can use it for free. The trailer is towed by a Ford F-150, which moves it from location to location and is another resource the bank uses to support community events.
Comerica Bank’s Act Local program lets local organizations lead the charge and make an impact in the communities they know well. This model demonstrates the foundational principle behind the Act Local program: to listen first. With this adaptable, free Community Engine resource, which is available to any organization affiliated with or sponsored by Comerica, the bank reduces the financial burden organizations face when hosting events, freeing them up to focus on their mission and impact.
And numerous local organizations have felt the impact. Comerica Bank sponsors the annual Dallas St. Patrick’s Parade, where the Comerica Community Engine was present this year, and puts on a family-friendly parade watch party. When the Ford F-150 pulled Comerica’s float in the MLK Day Parade in January 2024, it was its maiden voyage. In June, the truck also pulled Comerica’s float in the annual Dallas Pride parade, an event that Comerica Bank has participated in for many years.
At the second-annual “Give for Gordon” blood drive — which honors the life of former Comerica employee Gordon McKinley, who worked at the company for 40 years and passed away from cancer in 2022 — the Community Engine was used to pass out water, snacks and event t-shirts. When Dallas ISD school Mockingbird Elementary held its annual Auction Kids Day event, the Community Engine was used to supply the event with music, popsicles, chalk and bubbles for students.
Comerica’s Act Local program and the Community Engine are two visible examples of the bank’s commitment to investing in the local community, but these aren’t the company’s only initiatives. Comerica Bank offers sponsorships to local organizations through financial support, business counseling, volunteerism, and thought leadership. Employees of the bank are also encouraged to invest in the local communities they serve. And for Comerica small business customers, the bank provides free office space through Comerica CoWorkSpaces, and offers free marketing and other benefits through Comerica SmallBizCo-op.
“We bank at Comerica because we know who we can call if we have a question about our banking; but more importantly, we know who to reach out to for support, with volunteers or sponsorships for our events,” Hoesterey says. “Comerica continues to be an important community partner that we can count on over and over again.”
To find local events in your community where the Comerica Community Engine will be present, visit the website.
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