INDIANAPOLIS, April 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From its inception in 2003, Oak Street Funding (www.oakstreetfunding.com), a First Financial Bank company, has experienced significant annual growth by exceeding client expectations. This is due, in part, to Oak Street’s commitment to providing an empowering and enjoyable work environment for its employees. One notable component of Oak Street’s company culture involves encouraging employee participation in charitable events and activities which, more often than not, includes matching participation by the company.
Most recently, Oak Street’s corporate team joined nearly 1,000 participants to climb the 48-story Salesforce Tower in downtown Indianapolis for the American Lung Association® Fight for Air Climb. In addition to coming in second place in corporate fundraising, the Oak Street Team walked away with the third place overall fastest time.
“It is exciting to see our employees energized by and engaged with the many charities we support," explained Rick Dennen, CEO of Oak Street Funding. “Our people truly believe that as a growing company, is it important for us to give back to the communities we serve.”
Oak Street has an internal committee that manages the process of determining which causes to support in a given year. Employees are encouraged to bring ideas to be evaluated by the committee. To foster participation, employees receive eight hours of paid volunteer time every year to support causes of his or her choice.
Initiatives for 2018 include the Jeans Donation program where a staff member who makes a monthly donation can wear jeans to work every day. Funds collected from this program support charities like the Make-a-Wish® and Kidney Foundations. Oak Street employees are also involved with TutorMate, a program helping first graders improve their reading skills with weekly, 30-minute virtual tutoring sessions. Other long-standing commitments include a number of annual activities with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Indiana, The Villages, Indiana’s largest child and family services provider, and the Indy Honor Flight Program, which transports war veterans to Washington, DC, for an unforgettable day to be honored for their service.
One-time initiatives are also encouraged. In 2017, Oak Street Funding collected over 10,000 pounds of food and other supplies for the dogs and cats affected by Hurricane Rita, over 400 teddy bears for the Indianapolis Police Department which are used to help reduce trauma suffered by children in violent scenarios and over 20 Thanksgiving turkeys and sides for families supported by the Edna Martin Center.
“At Oak Street, we are focused on the quality of relationships we have with our employees, clients and the communities we serve,” explained Kathy Yeary, Executive Director of HR and Servicing. “Our focus on the employee experience produces job satisfaction and pride that translates into a consultative, knowledgeable and caring approach with our clients as well as members of our community."
About Oak Street Funding
Indianapolis-based Oak Street Funding (www.oakstreetfunding.com), a First Financial Bank company, provides commercial financing for financial service businesses, restaurant franchises through the First Franchise Capital (firstfranchisecapital.com) brand and third-party loan servicing for financial institutions. Oak Street Funding and First Franchise Capital utilize industry knowledge, proprietary technology and passion to deliver top-quality service and capital products to finance services professionals and franchise owners nationwide.
Media Contact:
Sharon Robbins, 317-428-3804
Sharon.robbins@oakstreetfunding.com