HATTIESBURG, Miss. – For the fifth consecutive year, The First Bank has joined the global charitable movement, GivingTuesday, with a $25,000 donation to The Salvation Army, which will benefit its centers throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. 

In support of the non-profit’s dedication to “doing the most good,” The First has donated over $75,000 since 2008 to The Salvation Army to support their efforts to overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services including food, disaster relief, rehabilitation services, clothing and shelter.

“As a bank intent upon supporting the communities it serves, we are proud to join other financial institutions, industries, companies and organizations in giving back to others on this GivingTuesday,” said Hoppy Cole, chief executive officer and president of The First Bank. “In the midst of the holiday season and the season of giving, we feel compelled to support organizations like The Salvation Army who help serve others during their time of need.”

The concept of GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea to encourage people to do goodm The First said in a press release. Over the past 12 years, this concept has grown into a global movement that has inspired hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity in every country in the world. In 2023, an estimated $3.1 billion was donated on GivingTuesday in the U.S. alone, totaling more than $13 billion donated since the movement’s launch in 2012.   

“The Salvation Army is our chosen GivingTuesday beneficiary due to our team members’ passion for supporting their mission,” said C. Jerome Brown, executive vice president and chief community officer for The First. “Many of our team members are volunteers for the Salvation Army, whether by volunteering on their advisory boards, supporting the red kettle campaign over the holidays, or organizing food and supply drives in our branches.”

Since 1865, The Salvation Army has been meeting human needs without discrimination, including assisting approximately 27 million Americans annually and serving 134 countries around the globe, The First said. Most famous for its red kettle fundraising campaign during the holidays, The Salvation Army provides counseling, youth services, senior services, veterans services and prison services in addition to the social services and disaster response services that are commonly associated with the non-profit organization.