AUGUSTA – Kennebec Savings Bank recently named six nonprofits throughout its service area as the recipients of its 2020 Catalyst Grants. Each recipient will receive a one-time $10,000 donation to help them continue to fulfill their missions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each year, Kennebec Savings Bank’s Catalyst Grant program awards funds to nonprofits to help them launch new, innovative projects that enhance their ability to serve the community. However, due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the nonprofit community, the 2020 Catalyst Grant program has award six $10,000 grants to local nonprofits who are able to demonstrate a specific need for relief funds.
“We know that this has been an especially challenging time for nonprofits providing critical services to our community’s most vulnerable citizens during this time,” said Kennebec Savings Bank President & CEO Andrew Silsby. “We are pleased to provide this funding to six nonprofits so that we can provide the kind of support that our nonprofits need the most.”
The recipients include:
* Educare Central Maine of Waterville provides early care and education to young children and communities.
* Boys & Girls Club of Augusta provides free after school programming for at-risk, low-income, and low-performing teenagers, serving 450 teenagers in grades 7-12.
* Kennebec Behavioral Health, headquartered in Waterville,promotes the well-being of children, adults and families who experience mental illness, emotional difficulties, or behavioral challenges throughout Kennebec and Somerset counties.
* Neighbors Driving Neighbors coordinates volunteer drivers who assist elderly and disabled individuals with grocery and prescription drop off and pick up in the towns of Mount Vernon, Fayette, Vienna, Belgrade and Rome. They are working to safely get back to their mission to provide transportation services.
* Freeport Community Services provides emergency food, fuel, and utility assistance, as well as enrichment programs for children and adults in the greater Freeport area.
* Family Violence Project is the Domestic Violence Resource Center serving Kennebec and Somerset Counties. The agency takes a proactive and responsive approach in ending domestic violence, from the 24/7 free confidential helpline and emergency sheltering to community and school-based educators. FVP offers a wide range of services for victims/survivors, perpetrators of DV, and third parties.
“Kennebec Savings Bank’s generosity to support Educare’s quality service for the children and families during this pandemic highlights how important community partnerships are,” said Tracye Fortin, Educare Central Maine’s executive director. “We are proud to ensure that significant health and safety protocols are being implemented as we engage with children to promote creative learning experiences throughout their day. KSB funding directly supports the smaller group opportunities for enhanced learning at school and allows Educare to provide families with ways to continue learning at home.”
Catalyst Grant recipients are chosen through a competitive application process by an internal selection committee comprised of employees representing different areas of the Bank. Since its inception in 2016, the Catalyst Grant program has awarded $240,000 toward sixteen organizations.
For more information, contact Amanda Cooley, community engagement director, at ACooley@KennebecSavings.Bank.
