It’s hard to express how much we miss saying that to you in person when you walk into our branch in Downtown Fredericksburg, or when we see you out and about visiting the many wonderful businesses and attractions in this place we call home. While we have been serving customers with drive-thru banking, appointment services and online, building strong relationships is at the heart of what we do at Community Bank of the Chesapeake, and we look forward to continuing to work with you and see you more frequently once we have moved through the current public health crisis brought on by Covid-19.

This is an unprecedented time, and we know many of you face challenges. We are in banking because we are driven to help the communities we serve reach their fullest potential, and that mission is more important than ever in times like this.

As we walk the streets of Fredericksburg and interact with our customers through drive-thru and virtual service, we are inspired by the positivity this community is bringing to the current health crisis. From individuals making masks for hospital workers, to small businesses posting inspirational messages in their windows, Fredericksburg’s positive approach to this difficult time is a sign of just how strong our community is.

 

How can we come out of this stronger?

As local banking experts, we know that nothing strengthens a community like supporting local small businesses. That’s why we launched our Community Cash Mob in 2017. The Cash Mob is an organized group of bank employees who visit a business on a set day and time, and spend an allotted amount of funds, donated by the Bank, at the chosen business. Over the years, the Community Cash Mob has pumped a total of $30,000 into many different small businesses.

The Covid-19 crisis has hit restaurants particularly hard, so we took our Cash Mob digital as eateries closed their dining rooms to help slow the spread of the virus. In early April, Community Bank’s Digital Cash Mob encouraged people to place takeout orders at their favorite local restaurants by contributing $5 toward each order at any of eight participating restaurants in the Fredericksburg area. We plan to run another digital cash mob May 1-10, so stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages for details.

Nonprofits play such a vital role in our community. During this time, when many of their services will be needed more than ever, fundraising for programs and services have been impacted. Community giving is very important to us, and as we weather this crisis, we will continue our efforts to support as many community organizations as we can. In the past, that list has included the Community Foundation, the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic, the Rappahannock Area Family YMCA, the Fredericksburg Area Museum, Fredericksburg VA Main Street, the Fredericksburg SPCA, Loisann’s Hope House, the Thurman Brisben Center, Rappahannock Big Brothers Big Sisters and more.

Without the ability to host fundraising events, many of these organizations will need our support in the months ahead to continue to provide their crucial services to our community. Let’s rally behind them!

As one way to help, we’ve started our annual summer fundraiser, Casual for a Cause, early, and given it a special twist. In years past, employees have been able to make a donation to local organizations in exchange for the ability to dress casual for the summer. This year, Community Bank decided to make the donation on behalf of our employees. The Bank has committed $15,000 to Casual for a Cause this year, which will be distributed to organizations throughout the community we serve.

As we all work together for a healthier community, let’s stay connected to each other. Please reach out to us with any banking questions you have at this time. Even if we can’t see you in person, we’re still here to help in any way we can.

 

Stay connected to your community bank.

While our lobbies have closed in response to the Covid-19 crisis, we are still here for you in many other ways. The Drive-thru at our Downtown Fredericksburg branch remains open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon.

You can also make an appointment with a banker by filling out the form on our website at cbtc.com.

And as always, all of our online banking services, from mobile deposits, to virtual wallet to full online access to your accounts, are here for you at all hours.

 

Lending a hand with home-based learning.

Community Bank of the Chesapeake is proud to partner with EVERFI to provide financial literacy education. During the Covid-19 epidemic, at a time when schools have closed and parents are seeking ways to enrich their children’s learning at home, EVERFI has created a new family portal that offers free access to its full library of 20+ digital courses for K-12 students for a limited time.

This pause in school operations is an excellent opportunity to start teaching students of any age about personal finance. From needs versus wants, to how credit works, to laying the foundation for good habits and decision-making, EVERFI’s lessons can help spark learning in your household that will set your children up for a future of financial success.

To access the lessons, visit everfi.com/k-12/parent-remote-learning. Click “Get Access,” select your state and school, and you will be prompted to create a profile for your child that will suggest age-appropriate lessons to get started.

 

Take care.

As we all work together to slow the spread of Covid-19, we want to leave you with wishes of good health for you and your family. Stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future!

 

Stay tuned to the Fredericksburg Parent Facebook page and YouTube channel for a video this month featuring Community Bank of the Chesapeake.