By Frank Robinson
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Manager, Union Bank
At Union Bank we are committed to responsible banking, which includes promoting the health and wellness of our employees and the community. We believe total wellness includes physical and fiscal fitness.
We support programs that assist underserved diverse communities with health education, and for more than 20 years, Union Bank has been a proud sponsor of the American Heart Association (AHA) in its effort to fight cardiovascular disease and stroke.
The statistics are sobering:
- People of color are 1.5 times more likely to die from heart disease
- People of color are 1.8 times more likely to have a fatal stroke
- Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number four causes of death for African Americans
- Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death among Latinos
Over the last five years, Union Bank and its employees have helped raise nearly $2.5 million in support of the AHA’s critical research, education and prevention programs. Our support of the AHA’s National Walking Day and Heart Walk campaign has also been an opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to raising the awareness of the health benefits of physical activity through walking.
We’re also working with the AHA to host a series of health and wellness expos at select Union Bank branches in ethnically diverse communities. The expos feature individual health screenings and consultations, including blood pressure checks and cholesterol screenings, Body Mass Index, glucose and hemoglobin screenings, and financial wellness check-ups.
At Union Bank, we recognize the importance of investing in the total wellness of our employees and our communities, and we believe the AHA’s “Life’s Simple 7” is a good guide to follow—Get Active, Cholesterol Control, Eat Better, Manage Blood Pressure, Lose Weight, Reduce Blood Sugar and Stop Smoking.