About Us – Bank On Allentown

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“Bank On Allentown will open-up a brand new world to our residents who don’t have banking services. For example, a checking account helps the consumer manage money and keep it safe. There is less need for large amounts of cash and the savings from paying fees at other institutions will start to add up. I want to thank all our partners for pulling together and offering this critical service to our residents.”

CIty of Allentown Mayor Ray O’Connell

Our Mission

Our members offer services and educational resources that help empower people and families to improve their financial capability, health and independence.

It is important that residents have access to resources that help lay a solid foundation for banking and financial empowerment. Our coalition is particularly focused on assisting unbanked, underbanked residents, first-time job seekers and families with disabilities to access financial services.

Our History

Started in 2020, Bank On Allentown helps connect consumers to safe and affordable banking products certified as meeting the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund’s Bank On National Account Standards. With assistance from the CFE Fund, QNB, People First CU, First Commonwealth FCU, the City of Allentown and United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley formed a Bank On working group in late 2017 to identify strategies to increase collaborative efforts that could connect consumers to mainstream financial services and products.

Members represent community-based organizations, financial institutions and local government agencies that provide services and resources such as financial education, credit counseling, savings programs, banking series, credit repair, employment assistance, youth engagement and other financial empowerment programming. Bank On Allentown Coalition members meet regularly to identify points of collaboration, community engagement opportunities, share best practices and develop innovative ideas.

THE BANK ON MOVEMENT

Bank On Allentown is proud to be part of the national Bank On movement, made up of almost 90 similar local coalitions across the country.

The nonprofit Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) is the national partner for local Bank On coalitions, supporting local efforts through resources like the Bank On National Account Standards and accompanying certification, grant support to build local coalition capacity, and a robust learning community. The CFE Fund also works to give voice to local coalition experiences by informing both federal regulatory policy and financial institution practices.