Recently, Bangor Savings Bank Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to The Chase Home as part of its Community Matters More initiative. Residents across Maine and New Hampshire were provided with the opportunity to vote for up to five nonprofits.
“It is just an incredible award that has come at precisely the right time,” said Meme Wheeler, executive director of The Chase Home. “The coronavirus has led to a substantial spike in the need for our services, so this gives us a push in the right direction when we really need it.”
According to Kelly Goodwin, Bangor Savings Bank’s Portsmouth branch manager, Community Matters More is an important part of the bank’s philanthropy.
“Community Matters More actively engages the public and puts dollars into the community in ways they direct,” he said. “It is empowering for the communities that we serve and gratifying for all of us at Bangor Savings Bank.”
In looking ahead at the needs of The Chase Home, Wheeler said it is too early to tell how COVID-19 might affect their operations in the long-term. She said community support, however, remains critical.
“We are so thankful for Bangor Savings Bank and individuals who are stepping up to support our kids,” she said. “We want everybody who supports us to feel like they are part of a real solution when they become involved in The Chase Home.”
Founded in 1877, The Chase Home in Portsmouth is one of the oldest nonprofits in New Hampshire, serving more than 140 at-risk youth annually statewide through prevention, early intervention, residential and community-based programs. Some youth are served in the community while others live at The Chase Home.
To learn more about The Chase Home, visit chasehome.org.