Umpqua Bank and Parent Company Columbia Banking System Celebrate Anniversaries

Bank honors combined legacies and commitments to local communities across the western region

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Dec. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Umpqua Bank and parent company Columbia Banking System (Nasdaq: COLB) today announced the nonprofit recipients of $1 million in local grants to mark their respective 70^th and 30^th anniversaries, including $700K to organizations in honor of their longstanding presence in the historic communities of South Puget Sound, Portland Metro and Douglas County Oregon.

According to David Moore Devine, Umpqua’s Chief Marketing Officer, this year’s anniversaries are especially meaningful given the merger of Umpqua Bank and Columbia Bank earlier this year.

“Umpqua Bank and Columbia Bank were formed with the vision of creating financial institutions deeply committed to the prosperity of local communities and providing a strong, relationship model of banking for families and businesses,” said Moore Devine. “These grants reflect our ongoing appreciation for the nonprofit organizations that are committed to making a difference in our local communities.”

Umpqua Bank and Columbia Bank merged in March 2023, combining the two premier Northwest banks to form a leading western bank and a top 30 bank in the U.S. Currently based in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Umpqua Bank was formed in 1953 to support the southern Oregon community of Canyonville in Douglas County, Oregon. In 1993, Columbia Bank, under the banner of Columbia Banking System Inc., was established in Tacoma, Washington, and quickly grew to become the leading community bank headquartered in the state.

Grant recipients were selected for their strong community leadership, their commitment to improving access to economic opportunity, and their support for a variety of under-resourced communities in the areas of affordable housing and homeownership, education, career readiness, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness.

To support the expansion and continued success of the recipients’ strategic work, grants in the amounts of $100,000 and $50,000 were awarded by the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation to the following organizations:

$100,000 Grant Recipients

• Rebuilding Together South Sound (Tacoma, WA)
  Rebuilding Together South Sound’s mission is to repair homes, revitalize communities, and rebuild lives with a vision of safe homes and communities for everyone.
• Portland Workforce Alliance (Portland, OR)
  Portland Workforce Alliance builds enduring partnerships that improve Oregon’s graduation rate, supports career readiness, creates a strong and inclusive workforce, and helps regional employers develop and diversify their pipelines of talent. 

$50,000 Grant Recipients

South Sound Recipients

• Asia Pacific Cultural Center (Tacoma, WA)
  The Asia Pacific Cultural Center bridges communities and generations through the arts, culture, education, and business. The center represents and serves the Asia-Pacific people from 47 different countries, providing a wide range of programs and activities, many of which are free or very low cost for admission.
• Step By Step Family Support Center (Puyallup, WA)
  Step By Step equips pregnant mothers, women, and families to positively impact generations. Step By Step provides maternity support services, mental health services, and job training—supporting the entire family unit with a holistic approach to care.
• Tacoma Community House (Tacoma, WA)
  Tacoma Community House creates opportunities for immigrants and other community members in the Puget Sound region through comprehensive services focused on self-sufficiency, inclusion and advocacy.
• Tacoma Urban League (Tacoma, WA)
  The Tacoma Urban League helps African Americans and other underserved urban residents achieve social equality and economic independence through direct-service programming to Tacoma–Pierce County residents focused on education, health and welfare, economic development and advocacy.

Portland Metro Recipients 

• Community Partners for Affordable Housing (Tigard, OR)
  Community Partners for Affordable Housing advances equitable communities and housing justice by developing sustainable and long-lasting housing, providing residents with services for stabilization and growth, and connecting people who are unhoused with a place to call home.
• Hacienda Community Development Corporation (Portland, OR)
  As a Latino-led community development corporation, Hacienda strengthens families by providing affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement, and educational opportunities.
• Oregon Native American Chamber (Portland, OR)
  Known as the Northwest Native Chamber, this indigenous-led organization is dedicated to working with all members of the community to advance the educational and economic opportunities for Native Americans in Oregon, Washington and