Northwest Bank partners with Westerville Area Resource Ministry

Northwest Bank partners with Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM) to help the growing number of students who are at risk of going hungry during the holiday break

In the past two years, WARM has seen a nearly 40% increase in students needing meals when school is not in session. Ahead of the long holiday break, Northwest Bank donated funds to cover the cost of 1,000 student meal bags and volunteered to get them ready for distribution to families in need.

 

WESTERVILLE, OH (December 17, 2025): When school cafeterias close, hunger doesn’t take a holiday. To help ensure Westerville students have meals during the long winter break, Northwest Bank partnered with Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM) to fund and prepare 1,000 meal bags for families in need.

WARM is a nonprofit dedicated to serving families in the Westerville City School District through food assistance, education and employment services.

Its programs include providing weekend food bags to students who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches, ensuring they have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session.

Since the 2023–2024 school year, weekly meal bag distribution has grown from 683 to 1,100 as of December 2025.

Meal bags provided per week by WARM to students in the Westerville City School District

This holiday season, Northwest Bank donated $5,000 to cover the cost of 1,000 bags for students during the holiday break. The donation was presented to WARM on December 15 when Jim Colestro, Chief Retail Lending Officer, and a team of Northwest volunteers helped pack the bags.

“At Northwest Bank, we believe in being an active member of the communities we serve,” Colestro said, “Partnering with WARM allows us to support local families and ensure students have the food they need during the holidays. We’re honored to contribute and look forward to building a lasting relationship with the Westerville community.”

“I am deeply grateful for the partnership between WARM and Northwest Bank,” said Chad Maxeiner, WARM Executive Director. “Their generosity will have a wonderful impact on our community and our work at WARM, and I eagerly anticipate the positive changes ahead."

This initiative reflects Northwest Bank’s ongoing commitment to community engagement and support for local organizations that make a meaningful impact. The partnership with WARM comes as Northwest prepares to open its new financial center in Westerville, further strengthening its presence and ability to serve local families and businesses.