As we think about Halloween costumes and trick-or-treaters, Metairie Bank is focusing on the “treats” that set community banks apart and keep customers coming back for more.

First, let’s look at some facts. Community bank borrowers are more successful and satisfied than those of other institutions, outperforming megabanks and online lenders, according to a Federal Reserve small business credit survey. And we do it by staying focused on our customers’ needs, not their transaction levels.

We won’t jeopardize our hard-earned reputation by peddling goods and services our customers don’t want or need. And we don’t rely on impersonal credit scores or lend by committee, either. We bank the old-fashioned way—one customer, one loan at a time. It’s been our philosophy since the bank’s founding in 1947, and it continues to help us serve the unique needs of our customers today.

It’s not just our proximity that wins us repeat business. Unlike credit unions, community banks effectively serve individuals of modest means without taxpayer-funded subsidies. Metairie Bank is proud to put our tax dollars to work right here in Greater New Orleans, helping to support local police and fire departments, schools and other municipal services.

We also help fortify local neighborhoods through philanthropic outreach and civic service—providing much-needed resources and attention to worthwhile causes and events.

The treats don’t end there. Nearly one in five U.S. counties are only served by a community bank. And community banks as a whole fund more than 60 percent of the nation’s small businesses, which account for two out of three new U.S. jobs annually.

As your local community bank we are on your corner, in your corner—for the long haul. That sounds pretty sweet, doesn’t it?