West, Tex., Jan. 16, 2020 – Gateway First Bank, one of the largest mortgage bank operations in the United States, donated $10,000 to three local charities in the Waco area. The Gateway First Bank’s Charity Challenge is an annual contest where $30,000 is donated to various non-profit organizations throughout the country. The program rewards the high performing mortgage centers by giving to local charities chosen by the winning teams. The West Mortgage Center was one of the best performing mortgage centers for 2019 out of more than 160 locations across the country. The other two winning teams were in Enid, OK and Ada, OK.

As a part of the Charity Challenge the past four years, Gateway First Bank will have donated more than $120,000 helping support families and communities. Each mortgage center that wins the Charity Challenge focuses on non-profits in their local area, which in-turn helps fulfill the Gateway First Bank mission of strengthening families.

“We are happy to honor our hardworking team members by giving them recognition for their dedication and empowering them to share that success with people in need,” said Hobie Higgins, Gateway’s chief community engagement officer. “The holidays can be very stressful, so we hope our donations will let families focus on their loved ones rather than a lack of resources.”

This year, as a first-place winner of the Charity Challenge, the mortgage center in West, Texas chose to donate to Boys and Girls Club of Hill County, Texas, Inc. ($3,250), West Area Ministerial Alliance ($3,250) and Heart of Texas Region MHMR Veterans One Stop ($3,500).

It is an honor to give back to each of these organizations that serve and love our community so well,” said Joey Kolar, Gateway’s West Mortgage Center Sales Manager.

The Boys and Girls Club of Hill County inspires and enables all young people in the area to realize their full potential by creating responsible, caring and productive citizens. “Our donation will help to fund a permanent facility providing a quality experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters the doors,” says Kolar.

The West Area Ministerial Alliance is an alliance of ministers in and around the city of West, working together to lead, care, and serve the people of our community. One of the organizations they partner with, West ISD Helping Hands, provides packs of food for students in need to eat over the weekend and extended breaks when school is not in session.

The third organization is Heart of Texas Region MHMR Veterans One Stop, which provides assistance, camaraderie, education, and information to veterans as well as their dependents.

About Gateway First Bank 

Gateway First Bank is a leading financial institution that provides banking and mortgage services for consumers and commercial customers. Headquartered in Jenks, Oklahoma, Gateway is a $1.9 billion asset sized bank with a strong mortgage operation.  Gateway is one of the largest banking and mortgage operations in the United States with six bank branches in Oklahoma, over 160 mortgage centers in 42 states, and almost 1,600 employees.  Learn more at www.GatewayFirst.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender (NMLS 7233)

Follow Gateway First on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GatewayFirstBank/), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gatewayfirst/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/Gateway1st).