Stories
Celebrating the Lunar New Year brings warmth on cold Chicago day
U.S. Bank has opportunities for everyone to ring in the Year of the Rabbit, including Lunar New Year Red Envelopes and custom-designed calendars.
With red envelopes in hand, Chicago’s Chinatown Square branch celebrates the Lunar New Year with the community in what’s become a treasured tradition.
“We’re especially excited to sponsor and be a part of the 2023 Lunar New Year parade hosted by the Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation,” said Stephanie Cheung, the branch manager at the U.S. Bank Chinatown Square branch. “As we welcome the Year of the Rabbit, we wish our customers, neighbors and colleagues a year of prosperity and hope.”
For decades, Cheung and her team at Chinatown Square have served the local community with in-language services in the Mandarin, Cantonese and Taishan dialects to meet the unique needs of the community. Remodeled in 2021, the branch is one of about a half-dozen U.S. Bank branches focused on supporting communities that can trace their roots to China.
“Lunar New year is a celebration of the arrival of spring, and is the most important holiday in China,” said Cheung. “On the first day of the New Year, all my branch employees wear a red shirt to celebrate the holiday. We greet each customer with our new year wishes, and some customers share traditional New Year’s food to celebrate the holiday.”
Despite the snow and cold temperatures, revelers turned out by the thousands to the Lunar New Year Parade in Chicago on Jan. 29. Among them were dozens of U.S. Bank employees, which included Ervin Blanco, the district manager for the area that includes Chinatown.
“It was awesome to see not only people from Chinatown, but people from across the city and the suburbs come out and celebrate the Lunar New Year with the community,” said Blanco, who was among the U.S. Bank team that marched in the parade and staffed the U.S. Bank booth. “We are proud, both as employees and as a company, to be present in that moment and to continue to support our customers and small businesses where we live and serve.”
Cheung, Blanco and the U.S. Bank team are ingrained in the Chicago Chinatown community. Along with being a sponsor of the Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation’s Lunar New Year parade, they also support the Chinese American Service League. The nonprofit is focused on strengthening the mental and physical health as well as the economic wellbeing of all people in the Chinese community. U.S. Bank is also an active partner and member of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, helping small businesses in the community prosper.
This year, U.S. Bank has created several opportunities for everyone to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, including:
- Red Envelopes : Gifting a red envelope with lucky money is an important hallmark of Lunar New Year. Whether family and friends are across the street or across the country, Zelle® makes it safe and easy to continue this tradition. Best of all, Zelle is free for U.S. Bank customers.
- 2023 Calendars and U.S. Bank Red Envelopes : Visit a local branch to pick up U.S. Bank gifts – an exclusive 2023 Lunar New Year wall calendar and red envelopes. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait.
- Financial Guidance : To help everyone plan for a prosperous year, U.S. Bank offers in-person and digital services including cobrowsing live with a banker and scheduling appointments.
- Community Partnerships: In addition to celebrating with customers, U.S. Bank partners with the Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation and the Chinese American Service League. From community events to financial education, U.S. Bank is proud to support the community.
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