Karen Zuber | President, Bank of America Bakersfield
Hear from Karen Zuber, President of Bank of America Bakersfield, about our role in keeping Bakersfield moving forward.
I'm proud to work for a company that is prioritizing neighborhoods, like ours, that are most in need. It feels wonderful to be part of the solution and to see the difference we're making.
Karen Zuber | President, Bank of America Bakersfield
Bakersfield is your home. It’s ours, too.
We are committed to helping our communities thrive - dedicating our resources to address the issues that matter most in each community where we live and work.
Taking action to support our communities, clients and teammates
Now as always, our commitment to help strengthen the communities we serve is unwavering. We’re partnering with local leaders and organizations to address critical needs, and to advance racial equality and economic opportunity. We’re collaborating with partners who support diverse entrepreneurs, build job skills and create opportunities to help people succeed in today’s and tomorrow’s economy. And we’re doing our part to help people stay healthy — including investing in benefits and resources for our employees who serve our clients in their communities.
Let’s build something together
We're covering a lot of ground here in Bakersfield, doing our part to make a difference where it's needed most. When it comes to workforce initiatives, we're focused on removing obstacles to quality jobs by funding a GED classroom, pathway programs for students, supporting transportation solutions, as well as funding internships and mentoring programs to support startup businesses. Our financial literacy programs are also making a huge impact across the market, helping individuals and businesses build a better future. We were quick to respond to the health crisis, delivering masks and supplies to areas that needed them the most. And we've worked alongside nonprofits to create programs to help the homeless and address food insecurity.
An early jump on a healthy career
A partnership between Bakersfield College and the Kern County School District is connecting students with emerging opportunities in public health. High school students take courses at the community college for free and are connected to career pathways in public health through volunteering and internships. The program drastically reduces student debt for participants, many of whom are from low-income households, helping to alleviate some of the financial burden of traditional four-year degree.
Bridging the Technology Gap to Keep Learning Alive
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, as public schools shifted to online lessons to keep students and teachers safe, some communities found themselves at a disadvantage: Not all families can afford the devices and internet access that make distance learning possible. Kern County Superintendent of Schools utilized a donation from Bank of America to provide free devices and ensure internet access for families, providing a “learning lifeline” for their students.
Find a location
Whether you have everyday financial needs or more complex ones, our experienced specialists can help at locations around your city. Find a location and make an appointment to talk with us.
We remain committed to supporting you with your financial needs during the health crisis. Of course, nothing is more important than your health and safety, and we have taken multiple steps to minimize health risks, based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. These steps we have taken in our financial centers include enhancing the daily cleaning procedures, implementing plastic screens and distancing markers, following local restrictions on the number of clients that can enter a financial center at one time, and requiring our employees to wear masks. In addition, we are requiring clients wear masks when visiting our financial centers.
Digital tools so impressive, you just can’t stop banking.
Wonder what everyone’s doing on their phones? They’re banking. And budgeting. And planning. And investing with Merrill – all in one place.
Enjoy local culture for free
See some of the best museums in your area with our Museums on Us® program. You’ll receive free general admission during the first full weekend of every month with your active Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank (U.S. Trust) credit or debit card and photo ID.