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AUGUSTA — Three area non-profit organizations were named winners of Kennebec Savings Bank’s 2017 Catalyst Capacity Building Grant Dec. 15.
Kennebec Valley Family Dentistry, Restorative Justice Institute of Maine and Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity were presented awards by Community Dividends Director Alicia Wing at a ceremony at the bank’s Augusta corporate headquarters. The nonprofits will receive up to $18,000 each over a three-year period – $10,000 the first year, $5,000 the second and $3,000 during the final year.
Wing said the grant program was launched in October 2016 to further develop the bank’s Community Dividends program and “help meet a need that we’ve seen within many nonprofit organizations that we work with.”
“We know that at times organizations dream up creative ideas but don’t have the resources to bring them to fruition, so the purpose of this grant is to provide organizations the means to add capacity in new and creative ways that will further benefit the communities we serve,” Wing said.
A 10-member committee comprising Kennebec Savings Bank employees from various departments reviewed and processed 11 applications beginning in October before deciding on the three awardees in November.
Bonnie Vaughan, executive director of Kennebec Valley Family Dentistry, which primarily serves the uninsured, said that 70 percent of the practice’s patients don’t have anywhere to go for preventativve care. “We want to thank Kennebec Savings Bank for providing us more of an opportunity to provide these services to families and children in our area.”
Jan Rollins who partners with The Restorative Justice Institute of Maine at Cony Middle School said the grant will help change the lives of at-risk youth. “Our children are one of our most precious resources and we must provide them the support needed to be productive members of society. Our mission is to promote a widespread cultural and systemic shift to how Mainers approach wrongdoing by promoting the use of restorative justice in communities, schools and correctional settings across Maine.”
Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Linda Santerre thanked Kennebec Savings Bank, saying the funding will help their program restore dignity to the lives of those who have hit a bump in the road. “We’re not just about building houses any longer. Now through our ReStore pilot program, we are able to provide household items to families who need it most and these individuals are incredibly appreciative. This grant is going to help us continue giving back to our community in ways that are truly making a difference in people’s lives for the better.”
Kennebec Savings Bank President and CEO Andrew Silsby concluded the Dec. 15 reception by providing an overview of the Bank’s culture of giving, which he explained is a two-pronged approach with both funding and employee volunteerism. “We do not have stockholders and so we target 10 percent of the bank’s profit to go directly back into our communities that we serve every year. We have a unique opportunity to give back and we do that through a number of contributions, including this Grant. Our employee’s give their time, as well. Every year they give back in upwards of 6,000 hours to local causes. Our employees lead by example and we are very proud of that.”
PHOTO: From left, Craig McEwen and Jan Rollins, Restorative Justice Institute of Maine; Dean Dolham, Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity; Brent Hall, Kennebec Savings Bank; Andrew Silsby, president and CEO, Kennebec Savings Bank; Chris Daly, Leonard Kimball, Matt Dwyer, Alicia Wing, all of Kennebec Savings Bank; Bonnie Vaughan, Kennebec Valley Family Dentistry; Jenna Bechard (back), Kennebec Savings Bank, Cheryl Leonard, Kennebec Valley Community Action Program; Linda Santerre, Waterville Area Habitat for Humanity. (Submitted photo)
