Androscoggin Bank announced today that its film “The Roots of a Neighborhood” has been named a Finalist in The 5th Annual Anthem Awards under the category of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging.
Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Judges for the 5th Annual Anthem Awards include an esteemed panel of leaders from leading organizations and companies dedicated to social impact, including Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association, Heather Malenshek, CMO, Land O’Lakes, Inc., Kim Getty, CEO, Deutsch, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Award-Winning Actor & LGBTQ+ Advocate, Belén Frau, Global Communications Manager, IKEA, Linda Roth, Chief Communications Officer, World Central Kitchen, C.D. Glin, Global Head of Social Impact, PepsiCo, and many others.
“This hasn’t been an easy year for the impact sector, but the Anthem Awards community has once again stepped up to provide hope and change lives no matter the circumstances,” said Anthem Awards General Manager, Patricia McLoughlin. “This year’s Finalists are an exemplary group of change makers that we are excited to uplift and celebrate over the next 16 days.”
Androscoggin Bank’s film, “The Roots of a Neighborhood” highlights their innovative Accessible Islamic Home Financing Alternative. This program provides Maine’s growing Muslim community with a faith-aligned path to homeownership, removing barriers created by conventional interest-based mortgages. Created through collaboration with local nonprofit partners, the solution is designed to be both culturally responsive and financially sustainable. Since launch, it has helped numerous families move from renting to owning, enabling them to build equity, stability, and long-term financial security.
The film itself was produced for Androscoggin Bank by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions as part of their “Common Good” series, showcasing Certified B Corporations from around the world.
“This recognition is deeply meaningful because ‘The Roots of a Neighborhood’ captures the heart of what we strive to do every day,” said Neil Kiely, CEO of Androscoggin Bank. “We believe banking should open doors—not close them—and this film gave us the opportunity to share how that belief can transform lives when financial institutions listen, partner, and build solutions alongside their communities.”
Alongside the Finalist Announcement comes the launch of Anthem Community Voice, an annual voting campaign and celebration to uplift the work of Anthem Finalists. Supporters can celebrate Androscoggin Bank’s work online from October 14th to October 30th at: https://celebrate.anthemawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/diversity-equity-inclusion-belonging/awareness-categories/. All Finalists are also in the running to win a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Anthem Award selected by Anthem judges. All Winners for the 5th Annual Anthem Awards will be announced on November 18, 2025.
SHARE
