Normally this time of year, teams from Mountain West Bank are out in their communities doing mountains of work on construction sites and wherever their helping hands are needed.

Although this isn’t a normal year and they can’t be out and about as they’d like, they still found a way to help their neighbors during the 11th annual Mountain West Bank Day of Caring.

“It is different from what it was years past,” bank teller Vanessa Matthews said. "But I’m very grateful that, even though during these times, it’s like, ‘OK we can’t do what we always have done.’ The bank has thought of ways, because everyone here at Mountain West enjoys this day so much."

About 10 employees from the Ironwood Drive branch and nearby training center spent two hours Tuesday morning preparing 116 project kits for Early Head Start. The kits, for infants and toddlers, included colorful sensory items, nesting cups, wooden cars and plenty of interesting things to keep little minds and hands busy.

“We’re putting together packets that parents can do with their kiddos,” vice president and Ironwood branch manager Jenna Gilliland said. "It’s amazing to be able to take a situation that has impacted the whole world and still be able to create something that can help these kiddos grow and succeed.

“We’re always excited every year to do Day of Caring," she continued. "To be given the opportunity to have two hours together to put these packets together is really exciting as a team.”

Customer service representative Nikele Thorne has been with Mountain West for five years. She said any time people can invest in a child, "we need to run with it."

"I’ve never worked for a company that does so much in the community, and it’s not just on Day of Caring, but it’s all year ’round," she said. "And I’ve lived here all my life, so it’s awesome that any time I want to do something in the community, I find something through Mountain West.”

Staff at 20 Mountain West Bank offices and departments in the Inland Northwest chipped in as part of United Way's annual Day of Caring, which was reimagined this year to ensure COVID-19 safety measures and social distancing protocols were in place.