It’s a good time to come together. Showing support to your local community during times of duress is something that we all can do — in many different ways!

At Heritage Bank, we know that it can be difficult to think past day-to-day right now. This is completely understandable. Prioritize what you need, and know that our team is here to help in any way that we can.

Also, know that giving back does not just come in a monetary form. There are many things we can do during this time to support our neighbors and help look out for one another. Here are a few of our recommendations:

• Check in on each other. This sentiment sounds so simple, but sending a text or making a phone call can sometimes make a world of a difference to someone. You could even send a hand-written letter! Life has slowed down with the stay-at-home order. This gives us plenty of time to check in on our friends and family. We encourage doing this daily!

• Patronize small businesses — and remember to tip. If you are able, the act of ordering takeout or a coffee to-go is the perfect way to support your favorite local businesses. Since many employees working at these establishments have had a drastic cut in their hours due to the COVID-19 crisis, tipping generously is also something important to consider. Tipping is always a good idea, but it can make an especially big difference right now. Please consider doing this when ordering food and products from small businesses in your community.

• Turn your skill sets into vehicles of support. Have you experienced more time to explore hobbies during the stay-at-home order? Maybe you’ve discovered that you’re good at something in particular — like knitting, cooking, or anything in between! Use these skills to help others, like making a meal for a neighbor or knitting scarves for donation. Do your research, find a need, and see if you can help fill it!

• Spread awareness about possible scams and frauds. It is crucial that you are on high alert for COVID-19 frauds and scams currently circulating in the form of suspicious text messages and emails. These scammers will try and get sensitive information from you, including usernames and passwords. They may pose as a company, government agency, or charity. Heritage Bank will never ask our customers for usernames, passwords, or other sensitive information over text or email. Spreading awareness is crucial — tell others about the dangers of these scammers. You could help save many people from being potentially preyed upon.

• Encourage loved ones to maintain their finances. At Heritage Bank, our team recognizes that money is always a personal topic — especially right now. That’s why it is more important than ever to know exactly where your finances stand and what you can do to secure them moving forward. Even if this is something that you are already doing, other people in your life may not have the same experience with financial planning. Suggest that they talk to their bank as soon as possible. The Heritage Bank team is always here for our customers, and we want to provide every service that we can in this time of need. Please reach out to us with any questions:

Dennison: 507-645-5929
M, T, W, F: 7:30am – 5:00pm
Thursday: 7:30am – 6:00pm

Northfield: 507-645-6736 
Monday – Friday: 7:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 12:00pm

West Concord: 507-527-2236
Monday – Thursday: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Friday: 7:30am – 6:30pm