Tim Aiken, President/CEO of Union Bank is pictured with George Clinard, Vice President of Senior Crime Stoppers, receiving the Veterans Support Award, honoring the bank's commitment to help protect our nation's elderly veterans. Pictured with Aiken and Clinard are local veterans: Conley Wyatt, John Snider, Bill Anderson, Colin Doig, Jim Cavezza, Chuck Laugh, Charlie Virden, Herbie McEowen, and Roger Post.

Recently, Union Bank, in partnership with the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and the American Bankers Association (ABA), made the decision to participate in a national Veterans Initiative which ensures that 40,000 Veterans living in 160 state Veteran nursing homes are able to live out their lives in safe, secure, enhanced quality of life environments free from the daily fear of crime, abuse, neglect, hostility and deprivation of personal freedom, as provided through the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation’s Senior Crimestoppers program.

As a result, the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation (SHCPF) chose Union Bank as one of the first recipients in the country to receive the Veterans Support Award which honors the bank’s commitment to help protect our nation’s elderly Veterans. The award was presented by George Clinard, Vice President of the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation, during a ceremony held at Union Bank’s Middlebourne Office on May 25.

Tim Aiken, President / CEO of Union Bank, said “We are proud to receive this award and to support the SHCPF in its endeavors to protect our elderly veterans.”

Union Bank participated in the program by funding a $250,000 loan to the SHCPF, which was used to purchase an investment-grade security. A portion of the interest earned on the security is then allocated to the SHCPF, which will be used to fund the Crimestoppers program.

“Protecting our nation’s 40,000 elderly veterans living in long-term care is a need that must be addressed, and I can’t think of a better way to get this done than by asking every bank in the country to allocate a portion of their annual Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) budget to securing the Foundation’s successful Senior Crimestoppers program,” said SHCPF Chairman, President & CEO Mr. Peter K. Gwaltney.

“America’s servicemen and women dedicate their lives to ensuring our freedom and making our country a safer place to live. Our nation’s more than 8,000 community banks are proud to call many of these Veterans customers and serve them in cities and towns throughout Main Street America,” said Gary Teagno, president and CEO of the Services Network for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA).

“ICBA is pleased to support this important effort that will provide our Veterans with peace of mind, safety and security.”

The Senior Crimestoppers program is a proprietary operation of the SHCPF, a national organization which was established to provide a vehicle for banks to earn CRA credit through support of nursing home residents, who are classified as low-to-moderate income individuals.

Senior Crimestoppers is built on a zero tolerance-to-crime platform that is vigilantly maintained for the residents, staff, management and visitors. Each resident is provided their own personal lock box to safeguard valuables. In addition, cash rewards up to $1,000 are posted on every crime incident that is reported to the SCS call center. Rewards are paid anonymously to tipsters having information about the crime incident reported. In addition, all facilities in the program display a membership charter and are provided regular in-service training for residents, staff and management together with employee oath sheets, yard signs and quarterly reporting of crime prevention status.

Because of Union Bank and other SHCPF participating banks, each Veteran resident will be provided a specially designed Veterans personal lock box. In addition, SHCPF will provide each state Veterans nursing home with its annual Time of Your Life video exhibit for the resident’s enjoyment and each facility will receive an annual cash contribution for a Wish Comes True grant to be given to select Veterans.

For more information regarding the Veterans Initiative or the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation, please contact Terry Rooker at 877-232-0859 or visit the website on the Internet at www.SHCPFoundation.org.

For more information about the Senior Crimestoppers program, please visit www.seniorcrimestoppers.org.