United Community Bank increases American Cancer Society Relay for Life contribution in 2016

United Community Bank is proud to share that their 2016 contribution  to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life was $172,787, an increase of nearly 40 percent from their 2015 total. This contribution includes $128,592 raised by local teams, including Upstate teams in Laurens, Abbeville, Cherokee, Pickens and Travelers Rest, and $44,195 from a corporate donation.  Relay for Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society with volunteers in more than 5,200 communities around the world.

“We are so proud of our employees for their impressive efforts on behalf of this important organization,” said Lynn Harton, president and chief operating officer of United Community Bank. “In 2016, they came together in a powerful way to support those fighting cancer across their communities. We look forward to continuing as a Partner Against Cancer in 2017.”

United Community Bank participated as a 2016 National Corporate Team Partner after renewing their involvement in 2015. This elevated commitment encompasses both grassroots fundraising efforts by the branches throughout four states as well as a corporate contribution. In 2016, 325 people participated on 32 local United Community Bank teams across the four-state footprint, which also included 45 cancer survivors. Each local team had a captain that directed efforts and Brunswick employee Greer Ward organized the company-wide program.

Relay for Life events are held once a year in local communities but many teams engage in fundraising and recruiting activities throughout the year. Participating United Community Bank teams raised funds and awareness through events like bake sales, t-shirt sales and dress-down days.

Relay for Life is a team fundraising event where team members take turns walking around a track or designated path. Each event is 6-24 hours in length. For more information about the event, visit relayforlife.org.

About United Community Bank

United Community Banks, Inc. (NASDAQ:UCBI) is a registered bank holding company based in Blairsville, Georgia, with $10.3 billion in assets. The company’s banking subsidiary, United Community Bank, is one of the Southeast region’s largest full-service banks, operating 140 offices in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.  The bank specializes in providing personalized community banking services to individuals, small businesses and corporations. Services include a full range of consumer and commercial banking products, including mortgage, advisory, and treasury management.  United Community Banks is consistently recognized for its outstanding customer service by respected national research firms.  In 2016, United Community Bank was ranked first in customer satisfaction in the Southeast by J.D. Power for the third consecutive year, and again in 2016 was ranked among the top 100 on the Forbes’ list of America’s Best Banks. Additional information about the company and the bank’s full range of products and services can be found at www.ucbi.com.