Northampton Survival Center among top grantees at Florence Bank’s 24th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants event
Thanks to the votes of Florence Bank customers, the Northampton Survival Center has received a Customers’ Choice grant each of the 24 years the program has been offered. This year, the Center will use the $5,000 grant to purchase food for the Fresh Van, a mobile pantry that delivers food directly to local low-income and senior housing sites.
Xio Aponte, Delivery & Care Coordinator for the Center, appreciates all the customers who voted for the Center, stating, “clients look forward to coming to the Fresh Van every week for fresh produce, meat and dairy, and bonus items. We will put the money to good use!”
Each year, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding. Voting takes place all year long, online at florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches; each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes.
“Our Customers’ Choice Community Grants program is very unique, as it gives a voice to our customers and their preferences on where we allocate the grants,” said Florence Bank President and CEO Matt Garrity. “We enjoy having the chance to connect with each of them and are proud to support the work they do for our communities.”
The Northampton Survival Center was among the 13 recipients of the top award amount. Other local nonprofits awarded the full $5,000 were the Amherst Survival Center, Cancer Connection, Dakin Humane Society, Easthampton Community Center, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Friends of Forbes Library, Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, Friends of the Williamsburg Library, Goshen Firefighters Association, It Takes A Village, Our Lady of the Hills Parish, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. In total, 40 organizations across the Pioneer Valley accept a total of $150,000 in grants from Florence Bank.