Financial Literacy and Education | Sandy Spring Bank 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report

Howard Community College

For more than 30 years, Sandy Spring Bank has cultivated a relationship with Howard Community College, sponsoring programs that address food insecurity, affordable education and professional development. In the 2024-2025 academic year, Sandy Spring Bank proudly continued its support of the following programs:

The Skilled Immigrant Program, which provides professional development courses for mid- and advanced-level English-speaking, bilingual and multilingual students and is accessible to both credit- and noncredit-seeking students.
The Helping Hands Fund, which was established to provide emergency financial assistance for eligible employees who experience extreme situations (e.g., disability, household disaster, etc.).
Ambiciones, which builds community among Hispanic/Latino students by providing networking opportunities, educational and recreational activities and workshops with other Hispanic/Latino students and campus organizations. Students receive specialized guidance and assistance such as academic advising, career counseling and more.

Sandy Spring Bank support also went toward scholarships and other initiatives that help remove barriers and open doors for students to succeed and thrive.

Student Testimonials

My name is Victor Rangel, I am a first generation student. For me, this scholarship is important since I am paying for everything out of pocket. This scholarship is important as it takes some stress off my shoulders.

Thank you a lot. This scholarship will help me a lot to focus on my studies more and stay in track towards my goal of staying a good path towards my future.

After I graduate, I plan on transferring to a 4 year college to get my bachelor's in electrical engineering. This scholarship will help me save money for the four year college since it is way more expensive and to stay focused on doing well this semester.
Sincerely, Victor

My name is Gabriela. I come from Venezuela and I am a single mother. I've been working and studying hard and this scholarship helps me so much with academic financial burdens.

I will be able to pay off my debt at the school this semester and transfer to UMD for the spring.

I plan on getting my degree in architecture from the University of Maryland and this helps me get through another semester. Thank you.
Sincerely, Gabriela

I am writing to convey my sincere appreciation for the Sandy Spring Bank scholarship. My name is Jesus Gonzales, and I am currently a junior at Howard Community College, where I am pursuing a degree in Cybersecurity. This scholarship holds significant value for me, as it alleviates the financial strain on my family and enables me to concentrate on my academic and professional aspirations.

Your support has profoundly influenced my educational experience. With the assistance of the Sandy Spring Bank Scholarship, I have been able to reduce my work commitments, allowing me to dedicate more time to my studies and exam preparation. Additionally, I have participated in extra curricular activities with the Ambiciones group, which not only enhaced my academic performance but also motivated me to strive diligently toward my goals.

Upon completing my degree, I intend to further my education by transferring to a university. I am optimistic that, with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to realize these ambitions and contribute positively to society. Your generosity has inspired me, and I aspire to support future students in the same manner you have supported me.

Thank you once again for your kindness and support. Your dedication to students like myself is genuinely valued and will leave a lasting impression on my life and future endeavors.
Sincerely, Jesus

Hi, my name is Jonathan Tabora Reyes. I am 17 years old and I was born in the United States but I lived almost all my life in Honduras with my family. I came here 4 years ago with the goal of studying for a good career and graduate to help my family. I just finished high school a couple of months ago and started college. This scholarship will help me a lot to pay my books and other school materials I need in order to complete my assignments and have a good performance at college.

I really appreciate your help because even though you don't know me, you believe in me and you are helping me to get step closer to my goal. This scholarship will make a huge difference by helping me pay for important materials I need for college and it's also motivating me to keep working hard and give my best in everything.

My goals after I complete my degree is to have my own business of designing houses, industrial buildings, and more. I am currently focusing on architecture and I'm really liking it. This scholarship will help me reach my goal by providing me the money to pay my classes or even pay for the materials I need in order to complete my assignments in class/ As I said before, I really appreciate what your doing and I wanted to thank you for believing in me.
Sincerely, Jonathan

My name is Joy Cruz. I am from Nicaragua. I moved to the United States in September 2019. Since then, I am working on myself, focusing on learning, developing new skills and my career goals. As the first generation to graduate college, I would love to receive support in my career. I have a full time job and I've been a full time student. It is challenging, but I have a great desire to be a great professional.

Thank you for your help. It is motivating to have the support needed to work on my goals.

I am majoring in Cybersecurity. My goal is to be a cybersecurity manager. I currently trying my best to complete my associate's degree, then I will get my certifications. Thank you.
Sincerely, Joy

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Sandy Spring Bank supports historically Black colleges and universities in Maryland and Washington, D.C., including donations to Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Coppin State University and the University of the District of Columbia.

The Bank's gift to Morgan State University Graves School of Business and Management supports ongoing efforts to provide students with a comprehensive and enriching educational experience. This contribution will be directly allocated to help students in areas most needed, such as scholarship funds, research opportunities and essential academic resources.

The donation to Bowie State University supports athletic programs, which enhances Bowie's ability to provide scholarship support, secure enhanced equipment and improve its facility infrastructure. Additionally, funding allows Bowie to improve the Bulldog Academic Enhancement Program.

The Bank's gift to Coppin State University aids student success through academic scholarships and supports other critical projects at the university.

The donation to the University of the District of Columbia supports the School of Business and Public Administration. Our gift makes it possible to provide quality educational services to students.

Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement (JA) provides work and career readiness experiences for Central Maryland youth. By bridging the gap between education and business, JA is driving community transformation aligned with the College and Career Readiness pillar of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.

Nationally, JA reaches more than 4.8 million students per year in classrooms and after-school locations. JA programs are taught by volunteers in cities, suburbs and rural areas throughout the United States.

In 2024, it impacted over 30,000 students and engaged with over 500 classes.

In addition to supporting JA BizTown^® and JA Finance Park^®, Sandy Spring Bank supports JA Leading Ladies and JA 18 Under 18. JA Leading Ladies connects businesswomen and outstanding female high school students in the Baltimore area to celebrate successes, develop talents, capture new opportunities and inspire the next generation of women leaders.

The JA 18 Under 18 Awards celebrates the best and the brightest students in Central Maryland.

In 2024, more than 40 Sandy Spring Bank volunteers shared their professional experiences and skills to support JA Central Maryland BizTown and Finance Park. These volunteers helped over 300 elementary and middle school students make the connection between what they learn in school and what they need to succeed in work and life. Their efforts impacted young people from the following local schools, helping to prepare them with financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship to empower them to own their economic success. Those schools are:

Hilton Elementary School, Baltimore, Maryland.
Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle School, West Baltimore, Maryland.
Barclay Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore, Maryland.
Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore, Maryland.
New Life Christian School, Frederick, Maryland.
KIPP Baltimore Middle School, Baltimore, Maryland.
Pleasant Plains Elementary School, Towson, Maryland.

Sandy Spring Bank Impact Summary 2023-2024 School Year

During the 2023-2024 academic year, Sandy Spring Bank continued its commitment to financial literacy and youth education through its support of JA programs. A total of 14,211 students participated in BizTown and Finance Park, gaining valuable real-world financial skills. BizTown served 9,407 students from 367 classes, resulting in 169,326 contact hours, while Finance Park engaged 4,804 students from 198 classes, totaling 86,472 contact hours.

Volunteerism remained a key component of Sandy Spring Bank's community engagement efforts. Throughout the year, 55 employees dedicated their time to JA programs. In Finance Park, 12 volunteers contributed 60 hours, directly impacting 96 students. Meanwhile, 43 volunteers supported BizTown, providing 226 hours of mentorship to 215 students.

In addition to program support, Sandy Spring Bank played a vital role in recognizing young leaders through the JA 18 Under 18 initiative, honoring 18 exceptional students from across Central Maryland. The honorees represented 17 different schools, including five students from Baltimore County Public Schools, five from Baltimore City Public Schools, two from Frederick County Public Schools, two from Carroll County Public Schools, one from Anne Arundel County Public Schools and three from private schools. The recognition event, held at the JA offices, brought together over 100 attendees to celebrate the achievements of these outstanding students.

Through these initiatives, Sandy Spring Bank reaffirmed its dedication to empowering the next generation with essential financial skills and leadership opportunities.

Local Food Banks

Sandy Spring Bank presented checks of $25,000 each to the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) and the Maryland Food Bank (MFB) to help them in their essential work in the D.C. region and across Maryland. Bank employees also helped sort fresh and nonperishable food and construct boxes while learniAng about these organizations' critical work to support individuals and families in our community.

Sandy Spring Bank's donation to the CAFB supports the Family Markets. In 2021, CAFB conducted internal research and found that almost 250,000 food-insecure children and young adults lived in the region. The biggest challenges to families accessing healthy food are cost and distance. CAFB helps mitigate these challenges through Family Markets, providing monthly, no-cost, farmers market-style grocery distributions at public and charter schools.

$2M

Distributed $2M in grants to 129 partners

The Bank's donation to the Maryland Food Bank supports its Partner Grants Program. The program provides financial grants to partner organizations and other nonprofits to help build their capacity to distribute more nutritious food, increase food distribution in targeted geographic areas and create innovative solutions that address root causes of hunger.

Supporting Our Neighbors

The Bank sponsors Rebuilding Together^® chapters across the greater Washington, D.C., area. The Bank sponsored National Rebuilding Day, Rebuilding Together Montgomery County's flagship annual event. Employees gathered to provide home repairs for neighbors in need across Montgomery County.

West Financial Services sponsored Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church. Funds support the Rebuilding Together Express program, created to deliver 40 common repairs selected for their significant health and safety benefits. The repairs focus on falls prevention, fire safety, moisture and ventilation, security and energy updates. Some of their most common modifications include installing grab bars, double stair rails, comfort height toilets and brighter lighting.