GlobeNewswire Inc | Oct 7, 2020 01:29PM EDT

October 07, 2020

Rockford, IL, Oct. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Illinois Bank & Trust announced today it will donate $20,000 to Lewis Lemon Elementary School.

This week we celebrated World Teachers Day, a day dedicated to recognizing teachers for the important work they do to help our children learn, grow and succeed, said Jeff Hultman, Illinois Bank & Trust CEO. It also serves as a reminder that this is a particularly challenging year for many of our K-12 schools, teachers and students.

Through its partnership with the national non-profit organization, AdoptAClassroom.org, the funds are intended for the school to purchase much-needed tools and materials, so they can successfully and safely continue to operate.

Whether school is taking place in the classroom or remotely from home, the need for additional school supplies, especially personal protective equipment (PPE) and technology is significant, said Hultman. Our hope is that these funds will give students access to the resources they need.

Illinois Bank & Trusts mission is to enrich lives in their communities. Earlier this year Illinois Bank & Trust contributed $100,000 to The YMCA of Rock River Valley and Galena Art & Recreation Center in support of their response to challenges created by COVID-19.

About Illinois Bank & TrustIllinois Bank & Trust, a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc., (NASDAQ: HTLF) serves customers from 10 locations in the Rockford metropolitan area, and the northwest region including the Galena, Elizabeth and Stockton, Illinois markets. The $1.4 billion bank is a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. and offers commercial, personal, agriculture, and wealth management services.Illinois Bank & Trust is a Member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, visitillinoisbank.com.

About Heartland Financial USA, Inc.Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is a diversified financial services company with assets of $15 billion. The company provides banking, mortgage, private client, investment and insurance services to individuals and businesses. Heartland currently has 113 banking locations serving 82 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and California. Additional information about Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is available atwww.htlf.com.

About AdoptAClassroom.orgWe are a national, award-winning nonprofit that provides the most flexible and accountable funding for K-12 teachers and schools throughout the U.S. Our proprietary, easy-to-use education fundraising platform helps teachers, principals, and administrators give every child the tools they deserve to succeed in school. Since 1998, we have raised $39 million and supported 5.4 million students. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we hold a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a platinum rating of transparency from Guidestar. For more information, or to make a donation, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org.

About Illinois Bank & TrustAbout Illinois Bank & Trust Illinois Bank & Trust, a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc., (NASDAQ: HTLF) serves customers from 10 locations in the Rockford metropolitan area, and the northwest region including the Galena, Elizabeth and Stockton, Illinois markets. The $1.3 billion bank is a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. and offers commercial, personal, agriculture, and wealth management services. Illinois Bank & Trust is a Member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, visit illinoisbank.com. About Heartland Financial USA, Inc. Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is a diversified financial services company with assets of $13.2 billion. The company provides banking, mortgage, private client, investment and insurance services to individuals and businesses. Heartland currently has 113 banking locations serving 82 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and California. Additional information about Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is available at www.htlf.com.

ContactCEO Jeff HultmanJHultman@illinoisbank.com 815.637.7007