FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” recently surprised unsuspecting customers at two branch locations with over $10,000 in gift cards.

As part of its annual “Give it Forward” program, FirstBank officers surprised unsuspecting bank customers with gift cards ranging from $150 to $500 to provide extra financial support. Recipients of the gift cards were simply encouraged to “Give It Forward” and donate to a nonprofit of their choice on Arizona Gives Day. The annual online giving campaign organized by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits will be noon April 5 to noon April 6 this year.

“We recognize that nonprofits are a crucial resource for Arizonans, and our giving events are all about spotlighting the power of community action,” said Humphrey Shin, Phoenix Market President at FirstBank. “We’ve seen Arizona Gives Day grow over the years, and we hope this act of goodness inspires folks to give back to their favorite nonprofits as they’ve done in the past.”

This is the sixth year FirstBank has done its “Give it Forward” campaign to promote Arizona Gives Day. Last year, FirstBank surprised almost 100 shoppers across the Valley by paying their grocery bills, covering the cost of nearly $12,000 worth of groceries. In 2020, the bank surprised pet owners at a veterinary clinic by paying their entire vet invoice. In 2019, FirstBank employees posed as restaurant servers to pay for patrons’ tabs. Thanks in part to these efforts, Arizona Gives Day has experienced year-over-year increases in new donors and donations. 

FirstBank has been the presenting partner of Arizona Gives Day since its inception in 2013, helping the program raise more than $30 million for Arizona nonprofits. In 2021 Arizona Gives Day raised a record-setting $7.1 million for 982 nonprofits.

For more information about Arizona Gives Day or to donate, visit AZGives.org.