SSB Gives

One of the defining qualities of a community bank is rooted in the word “community.” Community banks gather deposits from, lend to, and support the communities where they operate. This is why you see the State Savings Bank name and logo attached to charitable events and economic development activities, why you see us supporting local sports, participating in fundraising opportunities and joining local service clubs and organizations whenever we can. 

When You Bank With Us, You're Part of the Good Things We Do

We are able to invest in our community because of the trust and business of our customers, to whom we owe our existence and success. In 2019 we celebrated State Savings Bank's 125th anniversary by offering $10 to 125 customers to use for good in our community and we couldn't have been happier with their response. 

A year later we find ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic weathering an event that has threatened us on all fronts— our health, our finances, our children's education and our ability to connect with those we love and care about. It seems only fitting to reprise #ssbgives in an even bigger way by offering $20 in 2020 to customers to use to spread hope and joy, brightening the day of someone who could really use a helping hand or encouragement this holiday season. Browse the hearting warming stories below to see how together we're making a difference. 

Together We Can Make a Difference in Our Community

Look what you're doing in 2020!

• My husband and I were given the $20 by our SSB in Baxter around Christmas time and purchased hats, gloves, boots, and scarves for the local elementary students with it. -S.A.
• I LOVE the idea of this campaign and am so glad to be a part of it. The weekend I received the crisp $20 my partner and I went on a quick trip that included a hotel stay. Each day we left the housekeeper $20 - the first day being the bill from SSB. She thanked us when she saw us in the hall the next day. It felt so good to give a boost to someone who works so hard and is in an industry that was so severely impacted by COVID. -D.J.
• We sent our $20 bills from SSB to the Des Moines Food Bank that does incredible work supporting our community in the best of times. During the era of COVID-19, demand for their assistance is even greater, and supporting the food bank helps meet the basic needs of our community. We were also lucky enough to donate at a time when donations were being matched, so our $40 from SSB became $80 to feed Iowans. Thank you SSB for this wonderful campaign. -J.C. and A.C.
• As part of SSB's giving campaign, we donated food to a local food pantry, Waukee Christian Services. We were able to donate many meals to those without food security. Thank you for this opportunity to give back to our community. Have a Happy New Year! -J.H. and A.H.
• As I was walking into Hy-Vee, two college age girls were ringing the bell for Salvation Army. They were singing Christmas Carols, helping people get carts and spreading some great Christmas cheer. I was so excited to see their enthusiasm that I donated the $20 to the red kettle. They were more than appreciative and I told them that their Christmas joy was what made me donate. -D.B.
• I bought a gift for a troubled teen who tried to end their life and also took a friend who lost their spouse this year out for supper. -anonymous
• We took the $20 that you gave to us and gave it and some more money to a family in our neighborhood that lost their house and everything in it to a fire. Thanks SSB. -R.F.
• Thanks a ton for the $20 pay it forward cash. We decided to add several 20s to the mix and handed them out to random folks at the grocery store, complete with a Christmas card. We usually deliver food on Christmas day to low income seniors but that was called off this year so your inspiration was perfect. Thanks again. -J.M. and T.M.
• We decided to give the $20 to a family who lost their mom (age 43) to breast cancer. Their daughter is in our son's 3rd grade class. I'm sure it will help ease their burden. -K.K.
• We used the money we received to buy toys and donate them to toys for tots. Love this! -M.C.
• Dear State Savings Bank, We love the idea of your #ssbgives campaign. We enlisted the help of our six year old to decide how we could best use the $20 you donated. Our family decided to bless our next door neighbor anonymously with a Christmas card and cash! Earlier this year they had a vehicle breakdown and their daughter is expecting. We know the gift will be appreciated. Thank you for being a part of our community. -C.C. and family
• I just wanted to share how I used the $20 given to me for the #ssbgives campaign. I used it as an additional tip for a waitress at a restaurant this past weekend. She did not expect it and was extremely appreciative! -B.J.
• I donated the $20 from SSB as well as an additional $30 for an even $50 to the YMCA Supportive Housing Campus whose goal is to help fight homelessness in the Des Moines area. I believe everyone should have warm meals and a roof over their head, especially during these cold Iowa winters. Thanks SSB! -T.W.
• As we did some business at your drive-thru recently, Paula gave us one of your pay-it-forward $20 donations. We've chosen to give it to Caring Hands, which is a food pantry in Altoona. We know this charity does good work in our community. -S.S.
• I gave the SSB $20 to an older lady working at Hy-Vee. She was thankful for SSB. -P.J.
• I donated the $20 you gave me to the Giving Tree at the Baxter school this year. The money goes to help families in need this holiday season. -C.R.
• I gave the $20.00 to the Baxter Community School project, "The Giving Tree." They will purchase gift cards or other gifts for certain students for Christmas. Our church participated in this project in previous years, but due to COVID we were not able to take part this year. -P.J.
• I gave my $20.00 to a fast food worker that was running his butt off to get orders out to vehicles. He looked shocked when I handed him a $20.00. Thanks State Savings Bank. -L.A.
• I gave my money to John our garbage man. Every Tuesday when he comes to collect our garbage, he always welcomes our granddaughter to see his truck. The $20 bill will brighten his day. Thanks. -C.M.
• I just received the bank's $20 this morning and I know exactly what I'm going to do with it!!! I have an older gentleman at the Ike's that has lost his wife and the Ike's is a place he goes everyday for a .75 cup of pop and to get out of the house. I'm going to put the money in an unsigned Christmas card and on Thursday night when I'm at work, I'm going to leave it there for him. He will be so HAPPY!! -J.J.
• Last Saturday I went for lunch with my hubby and we added the $20 to our tip. Our waitress was so thankful!!! It sure makes a person feel good to do good. -H.W.
• Thanks for the wonderful gift of $20 dollars. I used the money to purchase books at Barnes and Noble's annual drive for disadvantaged kids in the Des Moines Area. -K.J.A.
• I matched the $20 and bought food for the local food pantry. -J.C.
• Money was given to the family of an officer at the women’s prison in Mitchellville that died of Covid. -M.B.
• We decided to pay it forward to The Salvation Army!!!! -T.W.
• Random pay it forward is fun and makes your heart feel good. I put your $20.00 with my $80.00 and sent it to the Ronald McDonald House in Des Moines. I’m smiling. Hope you are too. Thank you ! -S.C.

Look what you did in 2019!

• We went downtown to the World Food Festival and walked through the Sculpture Park. It was a rainy day and a lady was sitting on a park bench in her raincoat. I walked over and explained that our bank was celebrating by giving out $10.00 and that I had chosen her. She could either keep it for herself or pass it on. She introduced herself and shook my hand and told me that she was homeless. I was then inspired to give her what money I had in addition to the ten dollars, (it was only five dollars.) She was very appreciative and it humbled me. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. -T.C
• Yesterday my son and I participated in the Community Giving Project. With the $10.00, we bought diapers and wipes and brought them to donate to New Directions Shelter. New Directions Shelter provides free, temporary, emergency shelter and services for Iowa’s homeless families with children. Thank you for this opportunity! -S.R. and M.R.
• Such a neat thing to be a part of! My $10 bought coffee for the 2 cars behind me in the Starbucks line! The world needs more kindness!! -N.B.
• I've been a customer at ssb for several years. Love the down-home atmosphere and pleasant customer service. With the $10.00 you gave me to do an act of kindness, I chose to do a few things. With $5.00, I bought a few people at work something from the breakroom to cheer up their day. With the other $5.00, I bought 5 lotto tickets to give to 5 random people. I thought instead of just one person benefitting from this, I'd spread it out. Again thank you!!! -T.P.
• I delivered bags of sugar to Waukee Area Christian Services on 1155 SE Boone Drive in Waukee. Everyone believes just because Waukee is a growing community that there is not a need for food, but even in Waukee, there are people looking for food. People should not be going hungry in Iowa. -T.W.
• I passed my $10.00 to Dollars for Scholars. -H.W.
• I'm giving my $10.00 to Single Parent Provision. -B.B.
• I put my $10.00 in a note and gave it to my mail carrier. -K.K.
• I gave mine to a women's shelter. -J.G.
• My wife's co-worker recently lost a close friend to suicide. We used our $10 to donate to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) in his name. -A.S.
• On my lunch I went over to the grocery store and purchased food to help supply the DMARC Food Pantry. Making a difference in your community doesn’t have to be an elaborate gesture. It can be as simple as taking 15 minutes out of a lunch break to help provide meals for families in need.  -R.N.
• I bought donuts for a West Des Moines Valley High School "Best Buddies" event. Best Buddies pairs high school students with special needs students for social activities. -D.L.
• I used my $10 dollars to buy a package of onesies and some baby blankets and used some scraps and creativity to add a special touch to each. I donated them to West Des Moines Human Services which provides assistance to families in need. -C.D.
• I donated five out grown Halloween costumes to a local elementary school and gave them my $10 to supplement the costumes. They use the costumes for students who do not have a costume to wear to their class party. -P.N.
• I donated my ssb $10 to Furry Friends and matched it with $10 of my own. -J.M.
• I went through a coffee drive up that I had never been to before and had no idea what some of the items were. The lady helping me was so nice and patient, taking time to tell me about the options. When I went to pay, I saw a sign that said, "tips welcome." After I paid for my coffee, I handed her the $10. She of course thanked me, but her smile said it all. -D.M.
• I gave my $10 to the Hy-Vee fund raiser for the Skiff Cancer Center in Newton. -D.Q.
• I contributed my $10 to Carson King's Venmo campaign which raised three million dollars for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. -C.B.
• I've decided to give my $10 to the DMARC Food Pantry which provides food to 14 food pantry sites in the Des Moines metro area and will match up to $500 other donations brought to the bank for DMARC to increase the impact. -D.K.
• I had a contest in my Hope Kids Wednesday night class of 10-year-olds to see who could be the most respectful for one evening. The two 10-year-olds who won the contest were given the responsibility of donating the two $10 bills my husband and I had been given by State Savings Bank to the Wednesday night Mission offering which is going to Habitat for Humanity. The class had already decorated lunch bags that are going to be used to serve lunch to the Habitat for Humanity volunteers that are building 6 new homes in the River Bend neighborhood this fall. In addition to the six new homes, volunteers will be providing repairs to 40 existing homes. This is a culmination of Hope’s Lenten Project: Hope Lives Here where $798,179.31 was raised for Habitat for Humanity. The 10- year-olds were so excited to be a part of this larger project and to make a difference in our local community. Thank you to State Savings Bank! -K.E.
• I gave my $10 to a young woman who looked like she was having a rough day and could use the cash. She was very appreciative and her smile said it all. -A.S.
• I have a coworker whose son has Spina Bifida. I contributed my $10 to the Spina Bifida Walk-N-Roll fundraiser held in October. -R.H.
• I added a little extra and sent your $10 up to the Baxter food pantry to help someone from the area have a nice Thankgiving dinner. -D.
• My young daughter and I gave my $10 to two young ladies trying to buy food at a gas station.  Neither of their debit cards were working to process the transaction and they had no other form of payment.  They looked upset and unsure of what to do.  I walked over to them and discretely handed them my $10 bill.  I asked them if that was enough and they nodded so my daughter and I left the store.  The girls found us in the parking lot and were very appreciative.  They both thanked us numerous times—one even gave me a hug.  After they walked away and  I was buckling my daughter into her car seat, she asked me why I gave the girls my money.  I simply told her that they needed it and that we need to help others when we can.  There are so many needs in our community.  Thank you SSB for reminding us to help others when we can, set good examples, and to always be kind. -J.P.
• My grandchildren go to St. Francis School. I gave my $10 to their "Meals from the Heartland" fundraiser. -J.M.
• I gave my $10 to St. Boniface where I attend church. They have a local outreach that helps those in our community that are 'just getting by'. -C.S.
• I gave my $10 to the Central Iowa Shelter & Services where I volunteer to serve lunch, especially on the holidays when they have a greater need for volunteers. -J.R.
• I gave my $10 to the food pantry where I sort donated food once a month. -J.H.
• My son and I used our $10 to buy an appreciation gift for his teacher at Woodland Hills Elementary School. -K.S. 
• With the $10 I was given by SSB, I paid for lunch for someone who recently had major surgery. Thank you for the opportunity to celebrate the 125th anniversary of State Savings Bank by doing an act of kindness in their name. -C.K.