It can be hard to pick yourself back up when life throws curveball after curveball. At FirstBank, we admire those who persevere and reward them with an “Act of Goodness.” See how our FirstBank team set out to help a customer get back on her feet. 

Meet Cora

Cora Olander is a 91-year-old widow living in California. Her life has been turned upside down by the loss of her husband and physical disabilities stemming from her stroke. Following her husband’s passing, her financial situation took a sudden hit when her husband’s VA benefits ceased and she fell victim to a fraud scam. As a result, she was unable to pay her phone bill.

The Surprise

When someone experiences fraud, the natural course is to contact their bank to resolve the situation. That’s when Cora “met” Joshua Braley, Contact Center Representative. Cora’s sweet demeanor pulled at Joshua’s heartstrings and he immediately knew she deserved an “Act of Goodness.” 

With Cora’s cellular connection to the outside world suddenly discontinued, Joshua wanted to surprise her with a two-year paid phone bill and more. Because Cora lives in California, he contacted the team at FirstBank’s INDIO branch, one she frequents from time to time, to coordinate the surprise. With the help of FirstBank, Cora was gifted a $2,000 cash deposit to help cover her phone bill and pay for additional medical bills and groceries. Additionally, the INDIO team met Cora with warm smiles, a heartfelt card, and a bouquet of flowers. 

Since Joshua works at the FirstBank Headquarters in Lakewood, CO, he created a video with William Gordon, Contact Center Supervisor, to announce Cora’s surprise. She was overwhelmed by FirstBank’s support and immediately called Josh to thank him for his kindness. Check out the video below. 

“It feels incredibly rewarding working for a company that truly follows through on its promise to support both its employees and customers in times of need. This experience has made me immensely proud to be part of the FirstBank team,” Joshua said.

A big shout-out to the amazing FirstBankers in Colorado and California who coordinated a life changing surprise for Cora. To read more stories about how FirstBank spreads goodness throughout our community, visit efirstbankblog.com.

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