When a Portland area non-profit was looking to build a new community center and residential living space, Banner Bank worked closely with them to get funded earlier than they expected.

Adults with developmental disabilities have fewer resources for support and care after age 21. And their parents are often left asking, “What happens when I’m gone?” In 1972, Dr. Jean Edwards founded the Edwards Center to give them an answer. So when she needed to improve and grow the Center, Banner stepped forward to help.

We needed a new community center and additional homes," says Dr. Edwards. "When Banner heard about our new project, they actually sought us out and asked to help.

Dr. Edwards started the Edwards Center with a singular promise: "Once we take a resident into our program, we will care for them the rest of their lives." This care includes everything from residential and vocational services, to specialized care as residents age. It's a commitment that nobody else makes, and it has meant so much to families in the region.

Ensuring the Edwards Center had the support they needed to be successful meant finding financing solutions to unusual challenges. Through the collaborative effort of representatives from Portland, Bellevue, and even Spokane, Banner was able to shorten the wait for the Edwards Center by as much as 5 years. "They followed up, came to events, and showed a genuine personal interest in the project," says Dr. Edwards. "You just don't get that from other banks."

Today, Edwards Center residents have a beautiful new community activity center, and ground has been broken on the first of the new homes. Through it all, Banner Bank is honored to help make Dr. Edwards' vision a reality.

"I've worked with other banks over the past 40 years," says Dr. Edwards. "I know the difference in a truly community-focused bank, and that's what Banner is for us."

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