‘COMMUNITY MATTERS MORE’

The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation, along with WLBZ-TV 2, WCSH-TV 6, WGAN 560 Newsradio, and Blueberry Broadcasting, has announced the winners for the “Community Matters More” program. With nearly 82,000 votes for 1,900 different nonprofit organizations, Bangor Savings Bank gave a total of $100,000 to local non-profits that were chosen by voters. The Ark, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kennebec Valley, Maine Children Cancer Program, Penobscot Valley Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Franklin County Animal Shelter, Stone Soup Food Pantry and Acadia Hospital Youth Suicide Program were the eight organizations receiving the top votes and $5,000 grants each. The foundation also will award $1,000 to each of the 40 remaining organizations on the ballot, as well as to 20 organizations earning the most write-in votes from the public in each of the eight regions. 

Additional Photos

Josh Montalto, of Panera Bread, left, gives a check for $2,500 to Colleen Foley-Ingersoll, REACH School director, and Lucy Lambert, the REACH School program coordinator. Courtesy photo

A $1,075 check to benefit Haiti is presented by Elks No. 188. From left are Dave Thompson of the Red Cross, and Joanne Gagnon, Diana Jenkins and Lorraine Cavallaro of Elks No. 188. Courtesy photo

‘GELATO FIASCO’ FUNDRAISER

Nearly 800 local residents and college students came to The Gelato Fiasco on April 1 to support the Brunswick Teen Center at the company’s Fool’s Day Fiasco fundraising event. The Gelato Fiasco has donated $2,024 in sales to the Brunswick Teen Center. That total exceeds last year’s donation of $1,875. 

JOBS PROGRAM DONATES $4,500

Jobs for Maine’s Graduates at South Portland’s middle schools and high school donated $4,500 to local charities. Each program had $1,000 to give away as part of the Jumpstart Our Youth program, which teaches students the value of philanthropy. The funds came from a collaborative between the Unity Foundation, Unitel Corporation and the Maine Community Foundation. The money was donated to the following charities; $350 to Friends of Long Creek, $225 to Ronald McDonald House, $225 to the Center for Grieving Children, $1,2000 to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine and $1,000 to the South Portland Food Cupboard. In addition, students at Mahoney Middle School raised $1,500 on their own to donate to the Center for Grieving Children and Haiti Relief Efforts. 

PANERA BREAD MATCHES CUSTOMERS

Panera Bread of South Portland recently presented a check for $2,500 to its local charity partner, the REACH School. The money, raised through Panera’s Operation Dough-Nation program, will be used to further the REACH School’s mission to encourage the maximum developmental potential for children with autism through individualized instruction in a nurturing environment.

The South Portland location originally collected $1,250 from customers through the in-store canisters, which are displayed near the registers in each Panera bakery-cafe. The company then matched its customer donations dollar for dollar, bringing the total donation to $2,500. 

TD BANK GIVES $10,000

TD Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation, recently donated a total of $10,000 to local organizations in Cumberland County as part of the bank’s commitment to giving back to the community.

Mercy Hospital will use the funds to support Gary’s House, serving more than 400 families with a patient in the hospital annually. The Mentoring Project will use the funds to support the West End-Parkside Neighborhoods Mentoring Program. 

ELKS #188 HELPS HAITI VICTIMS

Dave Thompson, executive director of the Southern Maine Chapter of the American Red Cross, was presented a check in the amount of $1,075, raised by Elks #188 Bingo Players for Haiti Relief. Also on hand were Joanne Gagnon, Elks Bingo Chairman, Diana Jenkins, volunteer in charge of the 50/50 sales for this effort, and Lorraine Cavallaro, whose suggestion led to this fundraising effort to benefit the victims of the Haiti Earthquake.

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