FirstBank Employees Go Undercover as Servers & Pay for Dozens of Diners in “Give it Forward” Campaign
FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good”, surprised local diners by picking up the tab at Diego Pops, in Old Town Scottsdale, on March 21 and at Biscuits, in Gilbert, March 22. FirstBank employees posed as servers as part of their annual “Give it Forward” campaign to promote Arizona Gives Day.
When the bill arrived, patrons learned that their server’s true identity and that their tab was being paid for by FirstBank – all to encourage goodwill and donations for Arizona Gives Day, the annual 24-hour online giving campaign held on April 2. FirstBank covered the tabs of dozens of diners in both restaurants, covering $5,000 worth of receipts.
“This was a fun way to reminds folks about the power of kindness and how small gestures can add up to make a big, collective impact. That’s the idea behind Arizona Gives Day anyhow,” said Bryce Lloyd, Phoenix Market President of FirstBank. “If we could get every lucky recipient to donate to their favorite Arizona Gives Day charity—even if it’s a small amount—we could theoretically help thousands of deserving people and causes.”
Arizona Gives Day, which is hosted by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and the Arizona Grant-makers Forum, raised a record $3.2 million for over 900 nonprofits last year. FirstBank has been the presenting sponsor of Arizona Gives Day since its inception in 2013, helping the program raise more than $13.4 million total for charities statewide.
Arizonans are encouraged to schedule a donation in advance or set a reminder on their calendars to participate on Arizona Gives Day (April 2). Beneficiaries include a wide range of nonprofits including arts and culture, children and youth, community development, health services, animal welfare and more.
