Androscoggin Bank Unveils Recipients of MainStreet Foundation Grants, Benefiting Youth Organizations

Dec. 19, 2011 - PRLog -- Androscoggin Bank Unveils Recipients of MainStreet Foundation Grants, Benefiting Organizations That Support Youth

LEWISTON, Maine – December 19, 2011 – Androscoggin Bank today announced the recipients of six Impact Grants as a part of the Bank’s MainStreet Foundation grant program. The Grants awarded total $22,000 and benefit at-risk youth throughout Maine and New England. MainStreet Foundation grants are provided for local organizations that support the projects, programs and initiatives that foster the development of and ensure the welfare support the welfare of young people. Grant applications are reviewed three times a year, in February, May and November. To be considered in the next review cycle, applications must be received by email or mail by January 15, 2012.

This November, grants were awarded to:
•   Center for Grieving Children: $5,000 grant will provide partial support for Bereavement Peer Support Program, which serves families in Portland and Sanford. The Center offers phone support, crisis outreach and education to deal with the death of a loved one.  
•   Spruce Mountain After School Program: $5,000 grant is dedicated to creating a Cooking Club, aimed at combating childhood obesity and recognizing that teaching youth about healthy eating is a key ingredient to a lifetime of success.
•   New Beginnings: $2,500 grant will help train 10 homeless and at-risk youth to develop the skills to serve as interns, serving their at-risk peers.    
•   317 Main Community Music: $2,500 grant will allow two music instructors to teach weekly music lessons at Long Creek in South Portland, Maine’s only statewide residential facility for juvenile offenders.
•   Girl Scouts of Maine: $2,500 grant will support after-school programming in Peru, Mexico and Rumford, ME for the Girl Scouts’ A Place for Girls (APFG), a program specifically designed to help girls understand and avoid dangerous behaviors, like smoking, alcohol, drug abuse and poor nutrition.
•   The Store Next Door: $1,500 grant will stock the shelves at the Store Next Door, which provides free necessary items and creates a safe, welcoming place for homeless and youth who experience high mobility due to instability at home.  

“Our MainStreet Foundation grant program directly supports a number of great organizations that help build our community and protect at-risk youth, so we want to congratulate this cycle’s recipients and thank them for all they do,” said Christine Conrad, SVP and Chief Customer Officer at Androscoggin Bank. “These grants will fund the ongoing work that supports development of the skills and attitudes in our youth that are essential to achieving success.”

In addition to the MainStreet Foundation Impact Grants, Seed Grants of $3,000 were also awarded to select organizations. Additional information on guidelines and criteria for submission, including the application form and details regarding past recipients, is available online at http://www.androscogginbank.com/mainstreet-foundation.aspx.

For its entire 141 years, Androscoggin Bank has supported hundreds of organizations by funding new initiatives and responding to urgent needs in the community. For more information on Androscoggin Bank’s community-giving programs, visit http://www.bankoncommunity.org.

About Androscoggin Bank
Founded in 1870, Androscoggin Bank has a long history of providing financial services to individuals, businesses, governments, non-profits and municipalities. Committed to quality relationships, everything we do for customers, community and colleagues should be time well spent. Androscoggin Bank currently serves communities and municipalities throughout Maine.

For more information:

Christine Conrad                  Matt Mendolera-Schamann
Androscoggin Bank                  Matter Communications
207-784-9164                     978-499-9250 x243
CConrad@androscogginbank.com            androscogginbank@matternow.com

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Founded in 1870, Androscoggin Bank has a long history of providing financial services to individuals, businesses, governments, non-profits & municipalities. Androscoggin Bank currently serves Maine communities with 13 branch locations across the state.