12/05/11 Two Non-Profits Recieve Bar Harbor Bank & Trust 'Community Commitment' Funds
Left to Right: In the foreground, Elena Martin, VP/Electronic Banking Support at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, presents Community Commitment donations checks to Susan Farley, Family Assistance Advocate at WHCA and Michael Reisman, Executive Director at the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center. In the background are members of the Bank’s Operations Center in Ellsworth who chose these two non-profits to receive these charitable funds.
Ellsworth, Maine — Each week, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust directors and employees, in exchange for being able to dress casually on Fridays, voluntarily contribute to a charitable fund that disburses gifts monthly to local non-profit organizations. This employee-driven donation program is called Community Commitment. The Bank matches the employee donations, doubling the amount given to the chosen non-profit organization. Each month a different bank location gets to choose the recipient of these contributions.
Employees at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust's Operations Center in Ellsworth chose two organizations to receive the Community Commitment funds for the month of October: Washington Hancock Community Agency's THAW fund and Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center.
Washington Hancock Community Agency's THAW (The Heating and Warmth) community fund is completely donation based and provides emergency heating assistance to families with low incomes who are having difficulty paying for winter fuel. These funds assist people who may be just outside the LIHEAP program eligibility requirements or who have exhausted all other options to heat their homes. "When THAW funds are available, an eligible household can potentially receive up to a 100 gallon emergency delivery of heating fuel, once during a 12 month period. We try to help as many people as possible," said Susan Farley, Family Assistance Advocate at WHCA. "Our goal is to keep people safe and warm in their homes during the winter." Contributions to THAW fund are charitable donations for tax purposes and can be designated for specific towns or areas within Hancock and Washington Counties. To make a contribution, checks can be made payable to WHCA and mailed to P.O. Box 299, Ellsworth, ME 04605. Please put "THAW" in the memo line.
The Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, located in Ellsworth, offers hope, knowledge, and support to cancer patients, their families, caregivers, and friends by providing a source of information, social services, and compassion through all stages of the cancer journey. "When a person receives a cancer diagnosis, they might not know where to turn for support," said Michael Reisman, Executive Director at the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center. "This Center is one of only a few freestanding cancer resource centers in Maine. It is a place to turn for education and support in making sense of a cancer diagnosis and proceeding with your life." The Center serves Hancock and Washington Counties where the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates for cancer exceed both the state and national averages. Through a staff comprised almost entirely of volunteers, they meet the educational and emotional needs of those with a cancer diagnosis offering free classes, resources and programs. Donations checks can be made payable to Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center and mailed to P.O. Box 322, Ellsworth, ME 04605.
Founded in 1887, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is a community bank with 12 locations along the coast of Maine. They offer a full range of financial services and products for families, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is a subsidiary of Bar Harbor Bankshares (AMEX:BHB) and is named as one of the 2011 Best Places to Work in Maine. For more information call 207-288-3314 or go to www.bhbt.com.
