BY JOSHUA PHILLIPS
Northeast News
June 5, 2013

With partnerships and participation in the community, one financial institution has been central to the Historic Northeast community.

Since it opened on Truman road in March 1951, Central Bank of Kansas City has spent its time operating for the residents of the Northeast community. On Central Bank’s website the headline says “For almost 60 years, the most important asset of Central Bank of Kansas City has been our customers.”

“We try to reach out to the Northeast community at least once a month,” said Sarah Cousineau, marketing director of Central Bank of Kansas City. “There is a mutual relationship between us and the community and it is a great way to be a part of the community.”

The bank was originally chartered in August 1950 as a state banking corporation, then moved in 1975 to a larger facility on Independence Avenue. Central Bank of Kansas City has four branch locations: its main bank at 2301 Independence Ave.; the Valentine Shopping Center at 3600 Broadway Blvd.; 3740 Truman Road; and 666 E. Red Bridge Road.

Central Bank not only offers local banking opportunities for Northeast residents, it also supports financial education programs such as Money Smart Kansas City.

“Money Smart Kansas City is a great way for Central Bank to get involved and help teach people how to be smarter about their money,” Cousineau said.

Along with Central Bank of Kansas City, the financial institutions who support Money Smart Kansas City are Commerce Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Citi Bank, Community America Credit Union, US Bank, Apprisen, Capital Federal, Mazuma Credit Union, UMB and CHES, Inc.

For Money Smart Month Kansas City, Central Bank of Kansas City has helped sponsor the financial education contests students of Kansas City can be a part of. The bank sponsored the 2012 video contest for grades nine to 12 in which the first place winner received $500, second place won $250 and third place won $100. Students had to demonstrate in the videos the theme “Credit: Good or Bad?”

Central Bank is also involved with the Lead to Read program, Teach Children to Save (TCTS) program and Christmas in October.

“(The Lead to Read) program helps Kansas City’s urban children,” Cousineau said. “It lets them know that someone cares enough to read to them and helps give them a jump on their reading skills to help them score better on reading tests.”

Samerra Ortiz, Harold Byes and Stephan Raddatz of Central Bank went with Cousineau to give TCTS presentations so that children could learn the benefits of saving money. The group presented to three classes of kindergarteners at Academia de Niños, a class of first and second graders at Wendell-Phillips Elementary School and a third grade class at Rushton Elementary School.

More than 100 local youths learned from stories about families who saved money and took part in a hands-on activity that supports saving.

“We have been a part of the Northeast since our inception,” Cousineau said. “Northeast residents like to bank local because we know their names… (and) we have a different feel than larger banks.”

For 62 years, the Central Bank of Kansas City has promoted itself as a deeply involved banking institution in the Northeast community and looks to continue that tradition.