In February, BB&T Chairman and CEO Kelly King and SunTrust Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers sat down for a joint video message to address the recently announced merger of equals between BB&T and SunTrust. Both leaders spoke about their respective institutions and the possibilities that wait. But it was the unspoken message that perhaps resonated the most: two small orange heart-shaped lapel pins – the symbol of “Sebring Strong.”

On Jan. 23, 2019, tragedy struck a SunTrust Bank branch in Sebring, Florida, where five innocent people lost their lives. Within days, #SebringStrong was trending on social media, and it resonated with SunTrust teammates as a message of strength, support and unity. It was through that message the small orange heart – one of SunTrust’s colors – was born, along with a desire to help those who were hurting.

SunTrust Bank and the SunTrust Foundation joined with the National Compassion Fund to establish the Sebring Strong Survivors Fund, created to provide resources and financial support to families of the victims of this mass shooting.

The BB&T Charitable Fund has announced a $50,000 grant to support the Sebring Strong Survivors Fund. All donations made to the Sebring Strong Survivors Fund directly benefit the victims’ families.

“In the face of this senseless tragedy, the Sebring community and SunTrust have come together to support those innocently affected by the events of Jan. 23 and serve as a source of strength for their friends and neighbors. But we know the families who lost loved ones continue to heal, and we want to do our part to support them on the road to recovery,” King said. “We stand with the victims’ families, the Sebring community and SunTrust as we offer our thoughts and prayers to all those who continue to need support.”

You can donate to the Sebring Strong Survivors Fund by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/sebring-strong-survivors-fund.