The Banks Foundation, Inc.

We were honored to celebrate our National Day of Love Scholars at our scholarship dinner at Biaggi's in Champaign, IL. Past and present scholars from the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign Grainger College of Engineering, along with their families and dedicated MEP staff, joined us for an evening recognizing excellence, service, and leadership.

This year, we highlighted our 2026 Scholars, Yasmin Rios and Elaina Gipson, as we acknowledged their achievements and commitment to community impact.

Thank you to all scholars, families, alumni, and partners who continue to support this mission. Your dedication strengthens the legacy of leadership and service we aim to cultivate.

My husband, Charles Banks, and I were honored to attend Chancellor Isbell’s discussion on higher education and the advancement of our alma mater, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university continues to make incredible strides in math and science, providing a top-notch education to over 60,000 students.

We are grateful for the investment the university makes into its students and staff to continue to produce well rounded and globally conscious future leaders.

Today’s poem inspires children to listen to wisdom. It will help them in the long run.

National Day of Love - Learning Adventures A Parent's Love Words of Wisdom

On March 21, 2026, the National Day of Love, our team helped pack 115 meals for Feed My Starving Children to send to Ghana, where they will be distributed to families in need.

Thank you to those who volunteered!
www.nationaldayoflove.org

Encourage your students with today’s video about the wisdom we can receive from trusted others about going the right way.

Remember to like and subscribe on YouTube so you can receive more inspiring and encouraging videos for your students of faith.

The Ditch Up Ahead - A Children's Poem This video was brought to you as part of our campaign to empower families to walk in love.Learn more about us at www.nationaldayoflove.org ...

We’re grateful to the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers - UIUC Chapter (SHPE) for partnering with us to honor the National Day of Love through meaningful community service.

A special thank‑you to Alexis Villalobos, SHPE Community Service Chair, for coordinating the event. Like our partners in the NSBE UIUC Chapter, SHPE students used sponsored funds to purchase essential items for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Champaign‑Urbana community.

Thank you to these incredible student groups for taking the time to thoughtfully select items for those in need. Your leadership and compassion continue to make a real difference in the lives of others.


www.nationaldayoflove.org

Join us in congratulating Yasmine and Elaina for being named the 2026 National Day of Love Scholarship Recipients!

Thank you to the Morrill Engineering Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for continuing to partner with us!

We’re so grateful for our partnership with Cunningham Children’s Home! They continue to give children hope in difficult times.

See how they celebrated National Day of Love!

❤️ Happy National Day of Love!

Today is a reminder that love isn’t just a feeling — it’s an action. When we give back to our local communities, we create meaningful change that can shape the next generation.

We’re grateful for our community partners who are sharing how they’ve shown love in their neighborhoods. Their stories highlight the power of collective impact and the difference we can make when we work together.

Thank you for choosing to show love through service, generosity, and connection. Together, we can achieve more.

Learn more about how we give back: www.nationaldayoflove.org

We’re grateful to share that 12 engineering scholars have already received National Day of Love Scholarships since we began, and two more will be announced this year.

Our founders, Charles Banks (MEP ’04) and Diedre McKinney Banks (GIES '04), were both scholarship recipients and graduates of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Receiving scholarships changed their lives. In 2017, we launched the National Day of Love Scholarship to help others.

See previous scholars at www.nationaldayoflove.org/scholarships

Stay tuned for an announcement on this year's scholars!