The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund’s Bank On National Account Standards Certification of Keystone Bank On Account indicates that it meets over 25 features for safe and affordable consumer transaction accounts.

Berwick, PA – First Keystone Community Bank has announced that its Keystone Bank On Account was officially certified by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards (2023-2024). The national safe account standards, co-created by consumer advocates, leading national nonprofit organizations, civic leaders, and other financial institutions, designate both core and strongly recommended features that ensure low cost, high functionality, and consumer safety.

Key features of Keystone Bank On Account include no monthly maintenance fee, no overdraft or insufficient funds fees, the ability to pay bills and make purchases, and federal deposit insurance. The Keystone Bank On Account is available at any of First Keystone’s 19 branches.

Chris Zlobik, Senior Vice President and Chief Banking Officer for First Keystone Community Bank, said, “We are excited to be offering this new product which will help people throughout our local communities. The account is geared towards unbanked or underbanked individuals and families and offers consumers who are looking to improve their finances a safe, affordable, and truly useful mainstream banking product to access and manage their money.”

“The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund is delighted to award its national Bank On account certification to First Keystone Community Bank‘s Keystone Bank On Account,” said Jonathan Mintz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. “The Keystone Bank On Account offers Northeastern and Central PA residents who are looking to improve their finances a safe, affordable, and truly useful mainstream banking product to access and manage their money. First Keystone Community Bank’s offering of this terrific account brings them into the forefront of national banking access efforts, and we thank them.”

The goal of Bank On is to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable financial products and services. The Bank On National Account Standards identify critical product features for appropriate bank or credit union accounts, making it easier for local coalitions across the country to connect consumers to accounts that meet their needs.

First Keystone Community Bank is an independently owned community bank since 1864 and presently operates branches in Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northampton and Monroe counties. First Keystone Community Bank provides innovative business and personal banking solutions that focus on “Yesterday’s Traditions. Tomorrow’s Vision.”

About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund)

The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting edge experience with large scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders to identify, develop, fund, implement, and research pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. The CFE Fund is currently working in over 100 cities and counties and has disbursed over $59 million to local governments and their partners to support these efforts. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Twitter at @CFEFund.

About Bank On

Bank On coalitions are locally led partnerships between local public officials; city, state, and federal government agencies; financial institutions; and community organizations that work together to help improve the financial stability of unbanked and underbanked individuals and families in their communities. The Bank On national initiative builds on a grassroots movement of almost 100 coalitions in cities across the country, offering National Account Standards, capacity grant support, pilot funding, and a learning community. In addition to connecting unbanked individuals to accounts, Bank On programs raise public awareness, target outreach to the unbanked, and expand access to financial education. Visit www.cfefund.org/bankon for more information or follow the conversation on Twitter @CFEFund #BankOn. 

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