Welcome to Huntington Bank, Star Neighborhood Branches

Star Neighborhood Development has assembled a community of outstanding, localized resources interested in historic preservation and economic development in our neighborhoods of Cleveland and East Cleveland.  For financial services, Huntington mortgage banker Rick Williamson and Personal Banker Dave Meredith, and their many associates at the Fairmount Circle and University Circle branches, have supported the renovation of 1894 Roxbury and are enthusiastic to provide additional banking services throughout the surrounding neighborhoods.

Showing personal commitment to this project, Dave and Rick have been to 1894 Roxbury numerous times throughout the project. On their most recent visit, they brought the Huntington Fairmount Branch along [1], to our still unheated dining room in East Cleveland, for an informal checking account registration party (today's REALNEO Logo [2] - full sized image here [3]) for the crew that had worked on the house and friends who wanted to improve their bankability. In an hour, Dave and Fairmount Branch Customer Service Team Leader Monique Lumpkin took down the information necessary for a half dozen new accounts, all of which were approved, open for business and in the hands of the new customers a few hours later.

We even had time to move the branch over to Superior and Lakeview, at Hot Sauce Williams, where day manager Andrew wanted to open an account but couldn't leave work. Andrew got his account and the folks back at the Fairmount branch got Hot Sauce treats... the way banking and life in NEO should be, and is, in the Star Neighborhood.

I saw Drew today, a bit over a week later, hanging out at Hot Sauce, on his day off. I asked him what was up and he said he was just over at the bank adding money to that account I helped him set up. I asked him if he got his ATM card and he said for sure. He clearly likes having a bank account, but he isn't sure what it can do for him... this does not give him a financial plan for his future.

And, like all the other folks Huntington set up with accounts that day, Drew is concerned about having his money in the bank. Lots of these folks have financial troubles and have had money withheld from their paychecks and pulled out of bank accounts without notice before. Once in debt, folks often go underground, as they become unemployable and unbankable, as is the case with this crew.

I suggested they keep a bank account open with at least a few $100 available on the ATM, for convenience, and figure out how to get out of debt.  Assistance addressing such financial mismanagement issues would help move many good, hard working people from underground financial hell to the mainstream. Our friends at Huntington did what they may - any suggestions for other next steps?

Huntington helped 8 or 9 financially struggling folks become new banking customers and take important steps into the economic mainstream, but they did so knowing many of these new customers have failed with banking in the past and will fail Huntington now. Nonetheless, Huntington seems pleased to take this risk and offer their services to at risk folks, in places and situations viewed as high-risk, and offer to do more so in the future in my neighborhood. And, they are pleased to do so in innovative and fun ways, like at my home or over the counter at a Bar BQ shack in my 'hood, and have fun being part of my community in doing it. If that sounds like your kind of banking, stop by the Star Neighborhood Branch of Huntington next time we're open for business, this Fat Tuesday, February 5th [4], or contact Dave Meredith at Huntington Fairmount... tell him the Star Neighborhood Branch sent you.