Stories

They know us by name and have always been helpful, especially throughout the COVID-19 crisis, when it became difficult for my elderly father to do his banking in person. I am especially grateful for the customer service representative at the New Rochelle location who recently helped my father update and amend his accounts, as the recent COVID-19 health crisis has taught us the importance to plan ahead responsibly.

She was patient and very informative. She took the time to help us make sure we had all of our banking needs resolved, and it was a big relief to have this handled so smoothly.

It was our first ever concert and we were one row behind the “pit.” It was truly an incredible experience, with memories that will last a lifetime and maybe beyond! The next time that I used the money that I had saved up was when I finally married my daughter’s mother. We paid for the wedding ourselves, nothing super fancy and a lot of DIY ingenuity, but we did it on our own terms and without drowning in debt. Now I am saving up so that we can take our first family vacation together – now the four of us – with our newborn.

Thanks to Ridgewood Savings Bank, we can do that without drowning in credit card interest. Awesome!!

After many years spent banking at New York City’s large commercial banks, and experiencing impersonal service that led more than once to serious account errors and related problems, Ridgewood’s atmosphere initially took me by surprise. The staff’s friendliness and individualized care were reminiscent of the special kind of small-town banks I remembered from the small hometown of my childhood. In the ten-plus years that I’ve been a Ridgewood depositor, that initial positive impression hasn’t wavered. In fact, it’s grown stronger.

No matter how frequently or infrequently I visit my local branch, the reception there is always friendly and helpful with courteous and efficient service.

And the professional staff actually know my name! How unusual is that?! Small-town warmth combined with big-city proficiency? Rare indeed! But maybe that’s the difference between community and commercial banks. Or maybe the difference between Ridgewood and all other banks, period.

After carefully researching options when considering a change in banks those ten-plus years ago, it’s still hard to believe my good fortune in choosing Ridgewood. Or perhaps Ridgewood chose me. Whatever the case, we’re an ideal match and I can’t imagine banking anywhere else now.

So thank you, Ridgewood Savings Bank, for outstanding customer service that’s consistently superior. And thanks, too, for respect in caring enough to know my name. I’m an appreciative customer.

Sure enough, a little after 5 pm, I received a call from the VP and District Manager at Ridgewood, who said something I would have never expected – that she would meet me at the dealership in the morning with a certified check! Information was exchanged and we made the plans. Sure enough, before 9 am, I pulled into the dealership, and there was a pleasant and smiling woman waiting for me with check in hand. No stress, no worries and my purchase went on as planned.

It’s these kinds of personalized customer interactions that separate Ridgewood Savings Bank apart from the rest. Way to go!

When the bank first offered Smart Move Online Savings, I didn’t think it was for me. I am not computer savvy. I didn’t understand how it worked. I came to the bank and June helped me. She showed me that I could do it! She helped me every step of the way. I am so very proud of myself, and my family was very impressed. I enjoy this online account so very much.

The confidence and ease of depositing checks, checking my account balances, and moving money is all a great comfort to me.

Every time I come to the bank it is a pleasurable experience because of June. I look forward to seeing her. It is like seeing a friend. Just kind words of welcome, how are you, and just as important, my banking business is always handled in such a professional manner.

June is the kind of employee that any business would want to represent them. I am grateful for her help in making me a confident, online savvy customer.

The next morning, I turned my phone on and I had a message from Ridgewood. I found out that someone had stolen a check from me somehow and wrote it out for about $4,500. Luckily, the manager at Ridgewood flagged it and did not let it pass. The signature was completely off and you could tell it wasn’t me.

They gave me peace of mind and I knew my money was safe.

When I returned from my trip, they helped me create a new account and I closed the compromised one. I was super happy with Ridgewood’s customer support and am truly grateful.

Germaine took care of all the paperwork so efficiently that I was out of the bank in only a few minutes.

My wife was waiting in the car. She had brought a book to read, but she was also pleasantly surprised how quickly my usually complex IRA transaction was completed. Thank you, Germaine, for your courtesy and your efficiency. My wife barely read a page of her book while waiting for me.

Now as we walk into the bank, everyone knows us, and we don’t even have to give our names. They welcome us and ask us about our family and the new projects that we are planning.

When they say “hometown banking,” they really mean it!!!

I needed to get my bank statements for the year and was completely shaken up. That is, until I came in and spoke with Evelyn. This petite woman with her calming voice brought me some much-needed comfort at this extremely difficult time. She told me that it was no problem, and she would gather everything I needed. I left Ridgewood Savings Bank feeling a bit better than when I entered.

When I arrived the next day, I went to see Evelyn, who greeted me with a big smile and a folder with all of my bank statements inside. I thanked her over and over again, and if she wasn’t behind the window, I’m sure I would have given her a big hug. I gave all of my paperwork to the IRS officer, and thank goodness it was all cleared up.

I knew that I had to come back and give Evelyn the good news. I arrived at the bank with a bouquet of flowers for her and told her how much she helped me. She was so modest and really wanted no accolades. Evelyn felt she was just doing her job. That may have been the case, but for me Evelyn went above and beyond.

I have been banking with Ridgewood since I was a little girl who could barely reach the window to give the teller money to add to my Christmas Club account, and people like Evelyn are the reason why!

“No,” he explained, “this is where we keep our money.”

I thought we must be the richest family on earth!

When I was 12 years old I opened my own account to save the money from babysitting the neighbors’ children. I had my very own little book which listed all my hard-earned money. At 14, I opened a Christmas Club and each week deposited 50¢. Four weeks before Christmas, I had the enormous sum of $25.00 to spend on gifts, which seemed like a fortune to me.

However, as I grew older, my thrifty ways did not continue. Life interfered, and buying clothes and Beatles albums were more important to a young girl than saving money.

After I married, we had the opportunity to buy the house owned by my parents. We immediately went to Ridgewood Savings Bank, received a mortgage and thus began another 20-year relationship with this wonderful Bank.

I am now 72 years of age and have been a loyal member of this amazing Bank for many years. And they have been loyal to me: I can go there at any time to ask questions about my finances, or if I need help in getting through the complexities of online banking, there’s always a friendly face and pleasant voice willing to help me. You truly are a neighborhood institution.

Ridgewood Savings Bank has been there for me for as long as I can remember and I am thrilled to say, “Happy 100th Birthday!”

Paul opened his first account when he was 12, and his parents and his kids are all Ridgewood Savings Bank customers. “The bank has been there for our family for many years,” he says.

As president of the Franklin Square Historical Society, Paul appreciates the many ways Ridgewood has helped his organization, including in their fundraising efforts to build a new museum.

How did they raise the money?
“Schoolchildren were collecting a million pennies,” he recalls.

“I will never forget bringing shopping carts loaded with change to the bank. They weighed a ton! The team at Ridgewood was wonderful, helping us roll all that loose change.”

The Franklin Square Museum recently celebrated its grand opening, and Paul credits the help of community partners like Ridgewood. “The folks at Ridgewood have always supported us,” he says. “We don’t forget that.”

Along with her day-to-day banking, Dorothy turned to Ridgewood for her mortgage. Her husband and kids bank with Ridgewood too. “They’re a family-friendly bank,” she says.

For Dorothy, what really sets a bank apart is how it helps during challenging times.

“When my sister passed away, she had left me some savings bonds that I didn’t know how to cash in,” she explains. “The people at Ridgewood were wonderful. They said, ‘Don’t worry, Mrs. Viola,’ and they helped me go through the bonds, mail them in, everything.”

“They were a big help during a difficult time. I’m thankful for good people.”

Bob is president of the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council, which has been educating and supporting kids since 1980. In fact, Bob points out, “we’ve had a number of young people at GRYC who now work at Ridgewood Savings Bank.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, his nonprofit faced a funding cut and new safety restrictions. They needed money to keep going. Bob turned to the banking team at Ridgewood. With their help, GRYC secured a $1.6 million loan through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program.

“I was worried that we couldn’t get the funds,” he says. “But our bankers guided us through the whole process.”

“Our PPP loan from Ridgewood helped us save the jobs of 70 full-time staff.”

For Bob, having a dedicated local partner has made all the difference. He says, “Ridgewood may not be the biggest bank, but they’re always available to help. No matter what.”

Laura was introduced to Ridgewood by her mother, Linda, a longtime customer. Laura’s husband, James, now banks with Ridgewood too, and they even opened an account for their young daughter.

For the Morgan family, it’s not just about doing business with a bank they know, but about having a banking team that knows them.

“You can ask Ridgewood employees anything, and you don’t have to feel rushed or uncomfortable,” she says. “Ridgewood is definitely a great bank for families.”

When you’re juggling a job, two young kids, and a busy life, that personal attention makes a difference. Speaking of her friendship with Izeta Durakovic, the manager of Ridgewood’s New Rochelle branch, Laura recalls, “I had a problem ordering checks online, so I sent a text to Izeta. That was all it took!”

Laura especially appreciates the extra support she and her mom received when they needed to manage more complex financial needs. Having a close relationship with the bank helped the whole process go more smoothly. She says, “They already knew us and understood our situation, and we could trust them to help.”