News

The Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) is pleased to announce that Community First Bank in Boscobel, WI, was selected to receive one of five $10,000 awards to support housing and housing literacy, economic development/community investment, and financial or cyber literacy in Wisconsin.  

“Affordable housing and housing literacy are acute needs for individuals and families in our state and are critical drivers for our economy’s workforce needs,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBA president and CEO. “We are proud to offer this inaugural grant opportunity, which showcases the partnership of Wisconsin banks and non-profit organizations to strengthen programming that empowers Wisconsinites to become financially capable, promotes homeownership, and builds wealth that can be passed on to future generations.” 

Community First Bank plans to develop/distribute educational/promotional resources to benefit individuals across its footprint in Southwest and South-Central Wisconsin with a focus on current and prospective homeowners in rural areas. Such resources could include video content on topics such as credit repair strategies and steps to homeownership. The bank may also partner with others involved in the home-buying process to offer educational events to help consumers more fully understand the housing market, housing availability, and the steps required to purchase and maintain a home. 

“This is an exciting opportunity for our team. We look forward to the task of creating more awareness around the home buying process. It’s our priority to empower potential homeowners with the knowledge they need to make better, more informed decisions. And this grant will help us get closer to fulfilling our mission in helping customers succeed and communities prosper. We couldn’t be happier thanks to our partners at WBA.” said Jody Breunig, senior mortgage banker at Community First Bank.

Other award recipients include Columbia Savings and Loan Association, Milwaukee, Wis.; Peoples State Bank, Prairie du Chien, Wis.; Premier Community Bank, Marion, Wis.; and Waldo State Bank.