Community. Dependable. Involvement. Local. Those words and many more are what came to mind when First Citizens employees were asked what words described the Bank.

One of First Citizens Bank's Core Values is Community Leadership. That means being involved in the communities we're located in, and helping those communities grow.

In 2018, First Citizens Bank won the Give Back Iowa Challenge through Volunteer Iowa for the third year in a row. During April and May of 2018, the Iowa employees of First Citizens tracked their volunteer hours. Sample activities included teaching Sunday School, helping out at a child's school, serving on a board of a non-profit organization, picking up litter for Earth Day, and many more.

"We have always encouraged employees to volunteer," said Marti Rodamaker, President of First Citizens Bank. "The real winner is North Iowa and our communities. When we work together and help area non-profit organizations, everyone wins, and we're proud to lead that charge."

In 2018, First Citizens Bank employees volunteered 11.3 hours per employee for the Give Back Iowa Iowa Challenge. That is an increase from 2017, when employees completed about 7.7 hours each. This year, First Citizens will continue to log their volunteer hours and contribute to the overall total for Volunteer Iowa, but will not putting themselves in the running for top prize so that another business can step up and be recognized.

The Give Back Iowa Challenge, which runs from April 1st through May 31st, is open to businesses of all sizes in Iowa. Each business is put into a category based on the number of employees.