Bar Harbor, Maine – Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is donating the proceeds collected in Q1 2020 from its employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, to ten non-profits providing assistance to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. More than $11,000 is being donated through the program, which pools employee contributions collected each quarter and distributes them to non-profits selected by and voted on by the employees.
The Casual for a Cause program typically supports nonprofits focused on education and workforce development. Because of COVID-19, Bank employees choose to focus the first quarter proceeds on the increasing needs of individuals and families who have been impacted by the crisis.
“All of us at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust recognize the importance of doing all we can in this time of uncertainty and economic hardship to help our friends and neighbors,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “We are honored to donate this quarter’s proceeds from Casual for a Cause to these outstanding organizations and to support the essential services they are providing during the pandemic.”
With the Casual for a Cause program, Bank employees dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a contribution to a pool of funds collected during each quarter. The employees then select and vote on the nonprofits to receive their contributions. Since the program began in 2018, employees have donated nearly $75,000 to nonprofits across Northern New England.
Q1 2020 Grant Recipients
Maine
Food Pantries in Central Maine
Proceeds from Casual for a Cause has been distributed to:
• OHI Inc – Brewer Area Food Pantry
• Community Christmas Project in Pittsfield
• Newport Community Food Bank
• Maine Mental Health Connection’s Together Place Food Pantry in Bangor
• Waterville Area Food Pantry
Downeast Community Partners
The mission of Downeast Community Partners is to improve the quality of life and reduce the impact of poverty in Downeast communities. Proceeds from Casual for a Cause will provide support for families in need of emergency assistance.
New Hampshire
Granite United Way
Proceeds from Casual for a Cause is being directed to the Granite United Way’s COVID-19 Relief Fund to aid families who are struggling to afford their basic needs. The gift supports deployment of services to community-based organizations that are offering emergency relief to those in need.
Vermont
Food Pantries in Vermont
Proceeds from Casual for a Cause has been distributed to:
• Brandon Emergency Food Shelf
• BROC Community Food Shelf
• Randolph Area Food Shelf
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
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