Long time volunteer and local banker, Victor Garcia, is the new March of Dimes Northwest Division Director for the State of Indiana.

A father of two young children; a native Hoosier, second-generation American of Mexican descent, Garcia is also a 1996 graduate of Griffith High School.

"It's nice to be part of an organization that you have people from different backgrounds getting together for a common cause," Garcia said.

Work and family commitments are of extreme importance to Garcia, and now he's able to satisfy both by working at the Indiana division of the March of Dimes.

"This has satisfied everything for me. Work has become volunteering and I get to focus all my work and volunteer energy for the March of Dimes," he said.

The March of Dimes (MOD) is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of children's health. Its mission is to reduce birth defects and infant mortality through education and research and by advocating prenatal care.

"Nothing is more important than every child that is being born," he said.

Garcia is planning a different initiative for his territory which includes Lake and Porter County. He wants to make sure that educational pieces are getting out to the Hispanic communities in Spanish.

"We need to raise enough money in both Lake and Porter County to get these programs out to all of our communities, to get equal exposure and equal response," Garcia said.

He wants to make sure that there is open communication in the community and invites anyone to contact him for suggestions, help out as a volunteer or any other information they wish to contribute.

Garcia attended Ball State University to study journalism but is now an office manager and officer of National City Bank in Merrillville.

Currently, he's completing his studies at Indiana Institute of Technology, five classes shy of receiving his bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership.

"I was raised that you give back to the community and my family is civic minded," he said.

Garcia has been a volunteer for the March of Dimes for many years; he and his wife Monica have participated in the MOD' walks and he has also enjoyed being team captain at the Annual MOD Chicago walk.