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AUGUSTA — Kennebec Valley Community Action Program and Maine Dental Health Out-Reach have been named the first recipients of Kennebec Savings Bank’s Catalyst Capacity Building Grant. The two $18,000 grants will help ensure long-term funding for the KVCAP Explorer Transit System and allow Maine Dental Health Out-Reach to offer more services to low-income children.
“We are pleased to award these grants to two organizations that impact the lives of so many families in our community,” said Kennebec Savings Bank President and CEO Andrew Silsby.
The KVCAP Explorer System offers transportation to all community members at affordable rates, providing almost 100,000 rides annually. As demand for these services continues to grow, the KVCAP Transportation Services Team identified a need to secure sustainable funding sources and develop a plan for future expansion. The team outlined a plan to hire a consultant who could raise awareness in the community and assist in growing and maintaining donor relationships.
“The Kennebec Explorer is a vital resource in our community,” said Silsby. “We are happy to help KVCAP receive the guidance they need to stabilize funding and guarantee this service will be available for years to come.”
Maine Dental Health Out-Reach is a team of traveling dental hygienists serving more than 500 low-income children on-site at 35 area schools. While they have seen great results from their current services, the completion of referred dental work has been a hurdle due to the inability of families to get to an off-site dentist. In an effort to minimize this problem, they plan to add a part-time dentist to their team. The grant funding will help them purchase the supplies they need to provide on-site restorative care and oral surgery.
“We want this grant to be a catalyst to add capacity in new and creative ways that will help the communities we serve,” said Silsby. “Maine Dental Health Out-Reach found an innovative solution to overcome an obstacle and maximize their impact, and we are pleased to be able to help them achieve their goal.”
Kennebec Savings Bank launched its new Catalyst Capacity Building Grant Program on Oct. 1. Each year, the bank plans to award up to two nonprofits located in its service area with up to $18,000 over a three-year period. The grant recipients are chosen by an internal selection committee comprised of nine employees who represent different areas of the bank.
