This is giving — powered by you
This investment in our communities is made possible by the trust our clients put in us. Every year, Fremont Bank dedicates 5% of our pre-tax earnings to supporting local organizations and nonprofits. When you choose to bank with Fremont Bank, you ensure your money stays local.
In being strategic in our philanthropic pursuits, we’re guided by five key giving areas that reflect the breadth of causes that matter to our community and support efforts across our broad, Bay Area geographic landscape. These pillars create the strong foundation of our giving goals.
What our giving focuses on — and why
Education & Youth
Bay Area kids are wonderfully curious, creative, and full of promise — and every child deserves the tools to reach their potential. We target our support to open doors to learning, mentorship, and opportunity, because the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Let’s make sure every young person has a real shot at their future.
Social & Human Care
Life can be unpredictable. We stand alongside organizations that provide a safety net for our neighbors facing hardship — food, shelter, crisis support, and the dignity everyone deserves. In doing so, we lift each other up and support the organizations on the front lines who support our neighbors in need of a helping hand with compassion and without judgment.
Health & Wellness
Healthy communities are stronger communities. From mental health awareness to access to care to preventive efforts, we believe every member of our community deserves to feel well — in mind, body, and spirit. Together, we invest in programs that help people live fuller, healthier lives.
Parks & Recreation
Green spaces and recreation aren't luxuries. They're lifelines. From community gardens to hiking trails, outdoor spaces are where the Bay Area comes alive. We're committed to keeping them vibrant and accessible for everyone. Together, we fund the parks, trails, and programs where families gather, kids play, and communities connect.
Arts & Culture
The arts give a community its soul. And we know the Bay Area has always been creative to its core. We support the museums, theaters, festivals, and organizations that celebrate who we are and inspire us to imagine what we can become. Together, we celebrate and sustain the artists, performers, and cultural institutions that ensure this place stays unlike anywhere else on earth.
Our philosophy in action
We’re proud to be good neighbors. Last year alone, our total giving tallied nearly $3M to support individual nonprofits, school districts, education foundations, and municipalities.
In Oakland, the Chabot Space and Science Center received a grant for its brand refresh and website redesign that will best match its current programming and future vision.
In San Francisco, another grant is helping Mission Action upgrade and renovate its meal preparation kitchen so that it can serve more individuals and families facing food insecurity. This gift increases capacity and efficiency as it strives to feed San Francisco's most marginalized populations.
In Newark, the Foundation helped out Abode Services with new fencing and other security enhancements at the Cedar Community Apartments supportive housing center. This upgrade to the renovated hotel ensures our neighbors have a safe and secure place in which to live and raise their families.
Serving seniors in Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Fremont, Newark, and Union City, SOS/Meals on Wheels benefited from a grant for improvements to its food labeling equipment. The upgrade is essential to upleveling client and caregiver communications and is a key enabler of client safety.
Across the Tri-Valley, Open Heart Kitchen was awarded funds for two branded Open Heart Kitchen and Open Heart Food Bank delivery trucks. This is in addition to a previous grant to help build out its new Food Bank. These trucks will help get fresh food from its Food Bank to the Tri-Valley food pantries that distribute it directly to those who need it most.
Throughout the Bay Area, education foundations, school districts, and youth organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club have been awarded funds to support the work they do for their communities.
Organizations like Bike East Bay, Livermore Recreation Park District Foundation, Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, and Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont (LEAF) have been collectively awarded funds through fundraisers to support their work building and maintaining outdoor education spaces, community gardens, and sports facilities.
A vibrant community is a strong community. These examples are just a few of the ways Fremont Bank and our Foundation are investing in vibrant, strong, resilient neighborhoods. And these five pillars aren’t just categories; they’re our commitment. A commitment to show up, invest deeply, and grow alongside the communities we call home.