Community Support
Giving Back to the Community
 | BankAtlantic's corporate philosophy puts great emphasis on giving back to the Florida communities they serve. BankAtlantic employees have provided countless hours of volunteer work through many bank initiatives. Additionally, BankAtlantic and the BankAtlantic Foundation founded in 1994, have provided over $16.5 million to charitable organizations that promote programs in four key areas across the state: |
The Arts
SmARTS Program
BankAtlantic's SmARTS Program helps introduce Miami-Dade and Broward elementary school children to the arts. BankAtlantic is one of 20 recipients, and the only corporation, who will receive a portion of $3.7 million in grant money from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The money is being awarded to help energize the arts in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Selected from a pool of 1,562 applicants, BankAtlantic is being awarded with $100,000 over the course of the next two years.
Art and Culture Center of Hollywood
The BankAtlantic Foundation is proud to support the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood's Free Gallery Admission Day program. This will guarantee that the Center's high-quality exhibitions are available at no cost to the community on the third Sunday of each month through May 2011. The Center will present six exhibitions in their Main Gallery, plus 11 other exhibitions in their Middle and Project Room galleries during this period. The LEGO-inspired summer exhibition Nathan Sawaya: Replay is one of the highlights of the season. Free admission on the third Sunday of every month through May 2011!
Actor's Playhouse
BankAtlantic Foundation helped sponsor the 15th Annual National Children’s Theatre Festival Kids Fest Family Weekend. The event was fun for the whole family with free admission the entire weekend! The event featured activities geared toward children and their families, Kids Fest was held at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables on May 1st and 2nd. Often known as the best kept secret in town, this year’s Fest continued the tradition of introducing children to live theatre and cultural activities that will stimulate their imagination with creative experiences that will help develop self-esteem, an understanding of different cultures, and self-awareness, as well as develop positive attitudes.
Art's United Inc
BankAtlantic Foundation funded Artbooks for the Children, which is a community service/outreach program organized by ArtsUnited. ArtsUnited collects art books of all disciplines and donates them to children's facilities throughout Broward County to promote the arts and arts education. This year the recipients were the children at Lauderhill Boys and Girls Club, SOS Children's Villages, JAFCO Children's Foundation in Sunrise, Richard C. Sullivan Public Library, Unity for Kids of Hollywood, Hollywood Boys and Girls Clubs, and Children's Diagnostic and Treatment Center.
Education
Junior Achievement®
BankAtlantic proudly supports Junior Achievement and hands-on, experiential programs like JA Finance Park, which teach young people the key concepts of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The goal of the program is to help students build a foundation for making intelligent financial decisions for a lifetime.
Kid Power® Educational Series
BankAtlantic developed the Kid Power program, which provides 3rd and 4th graders in Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Hillsborough counties with educational information from BankAtlantic certified trainers about banking and money management. Each student is provided a course workbook and the program concludes with a certificate of achievement and a special gift from BankAtlantic. BankAtlantic is pleased to provide South Florida’s children with financial tools they can use throughout their lifetime.
Read Across America
BankAtlantic executives help schools celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday by visiting local Florida classrooms and reading books to students. Once read, the books are then donated to the schools for future use.
Museum of Discovery and Science
BankAtlantic has repeatedly funded children's science exhibitions, from Dinosaurs to The Big Red Planet. Children in attendance are also encouraged to apply science and learning into their everyday lives.
Hispanic Unity - Unity for Teens
BankAtlantic Foundation sponsors Financial Literacy for Middle School Students. The financial literacy classes for youth took place in July of 2010. By the end of summer 90 – 120 students learned the value of money, how the US banking system works, what is credit, and the difference between debit and a credit cards.
Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation
BankAtlantic Foundation has made many charitable contributions to The Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation (“RLSARF”) over a three year period. These funds will go towards establishing a new RLSARF Center in the Lauderhill Community YMCA Teen Zone at the Lauderhill Middle School. The Russell Life Skills and Reading Foundation empowers, inspires and encourages young people to become successful and productive citizens by helping them develop a strong love for reading.
Human Services
Women in Distress
In 2003 and 2006 BankAtlantic held cell phone drives to collect phones which were re-programmed with 911 emergency numbers and distributed to abused women and children. BankAtlantic employees also participate in their annual Safewalk Run to raise funds for the prevention of domestic violence. 
211- First Call
BankAtlantic is proud to support 2-1-1 Broward. 2-1-1 Broward provides a vital and essential service to everyone in Broward County. Their Helpline counselors respond to all those in need - a desperate young man contemplating suicide, a mother and child fleeing domestic violence, a laid-off father trying to provide for his family, an elderly women without surviving family members, a teen facing intense peer pressure, a child born with special needs. This service is free, confidential and anonymous and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Highly trained and degreed 2-1-1 Broward Counselors offer emotional support, needs assessment and information and referral to the right programs.
Neighbors 4 Neighbors- Adopt a Family
BankAtlantic departments and stores adopted families for the Holidays. All BankAtlantic Broward and Dade stores collected toys and gift cards for the families that didn't get adopted. For the 17th year in a row the Neighbors 4 Neighbors Adopt-A-Family 4 the Holidays program has given families going through struggles and disappointment a reason to smile. This wouldn't have been possible without the help of the generous South Florida community.
The Children’s Movement of Florida
The Children’s Movement of Florida is a citizen-led, non-partisan movement to educate political, business and civic leaders – and all parents of the state – about the urgent need to make the well-being and education of our infants, toddlers and all other children Florida's highest priority.
The Majic Children's Fund
Thanks to the generosity of Majic 102.7 listeners and sponsors, the Majic Children’s Fund has helped South Florida children and families in need persevere through difficult situations since 1988. The support and leadership of Rick Shaw, President of the Majic Children’s Fund and local radio legend, has aided in the success of the charity.
I Care I Cure
BankAtlantic was a proud sponsor of the 3rd Annual I Care I Cure...I Run in support of a quest for gentler and less toxic cures for childhood cancer.
Economic Development
Broward Housing Solutions
Broward Housing Solutions is a nonprofit agency which provides home ownership to formerly homeless mental health consumers through its Homeownership Solutions program. BankAtlantic's H2H Homebuyers' Club is proud to support Broward Housing Solutions which allows them to offer this program to their client tenants.
United Way
Through payroll deduction and yearly campaigns, BankAtlantic employees contribute to the United Way in various counties across Florida.
Habitat for Humanity®
BankAtlantic organized and established a not-for-profit organization called South Florida Alliance for Humanity, which supports Habitat for Humanity. This relationship resulted in the sponsorship of 62 homes, 6 of which were built by donations from BankAtlantic Colleagues. BankAtlantic Colleagues have contributed with countless hours of volunteer work as well. This year three homes from last year’s ‘BankAtlantic Three House Challenge’ were part of the 18-home Habitat for Humanity of Broward County home dedication ceremony in Dania.
