Santander Bank, N.A. (“Santander Bank,”) announced the opening of a new branch on Long Island, New York, in the town of Hempstead, located at 146 Fulton Avenue. To commemorate the new location, Santander leaders recently joined community partners and customers at a grand opening celebration.
“We are proud to serve the needs of the Hempstead community. In fact, that phrase is painted on one of the interior walls as a reminder that our customers are at the center of everything we do. We are excited to open this branch which is conveniently located in one of the most populated shopping centers in Hempstead. Coupled with our digital tools and capabilities, we’re now able to help more people and businesses on Long Island prosper. ”
Yajaira Lopez
Santander Bank Tri-State Region President
Customers stepping into the new branch are immediately greeted by murals of local landmarks, a welcoming environment and innovative design. There are several spaces for customers to interact with the branch team, including a meeting “nook” where they can meet privately with bankers to discuss their financial needs. The branch is outfitted with free Wi-Fi for customers, a dual-function digital screen that provides marketing content and can be utilized for seminars and two ATMs–one inside and one walk-up on the exterior of the building that offers 24-hour ATM availability, allowing customers to bank any time.
During the grand opening celebration, Santander Bank recognized its long-standing commitment to the local community including its philanthropic support to two non-profit organizations, La Fuerza Community Development Corporation (CDC) and United Way of Long Island.
As part of its support for small businesses through partnerships with Community Development Financial Institutions, Santander Bank presented a $300,000 check to La Fuerza CDC, representing the full installment of its three-year commitment to programming that provides economic growth opportunities to minority- and women-owned small businesses as well as those in low-income neighborhoods.
Additionally, Santander recognized the United Way of Long Island’s signature YouthBuild workforce program with a $15,000 grant to support educational and career training for young adults in low-income communities that give them the essential skills needed to obtain their GED High School Equivalency Diploma and begin entry-level jobs.
Since 2020, Santander Bank has provided a total of $767,000 in funding to Long Island non-profit organizations and its employees have volunteered more than 455 service hours across the Island.
“It’s a privilege to be able to recognize and celebrate the work of our community partners and organizations,” added Lopez. “We’re proud to support local organizations like La Fuerza CDC and United Way of Long Island that share in Santander’s mission.”
The opening of the Hempstead branch furthers Santander Bank’s support for the communities it serves, including its commitment to build new retail branches in low-to-moderate income communities and communities of color to help individuals build wealth and neighborhoods grow their economies.