Call for Nominations – Business, Nonprofit, Citizen of the Year
ROCHESTER — The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce invites you to submit nominations for the 2023 Business of the Year, 2023 Nonprofit of the Year, and 2023 Citizen of the Year. The deadline for submission of nominations and required materials is March 10th.
Submit a nomination for your company, organization, and/or deserving individual. Selected winners of these awards will be announced at his 2023 Annual Awards Gala on May 24.
Click the link below to access the nomination form.
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
39 local nonprofits receive grants from the MVSB Foundation
Sea Coast — The MVSB (Meredith Village Savings Bank) funds New Hampshire Charitable Foundation awarded $124,500 in grants to 39 local nonprofits. This includes $108,500 donated to 23 local agencies and her $16,000 donated to 16 regional food pantries. Grants add to her MVSB contributions throughout the year in the form of donations, sponsorships, scholarships, and employee volunteerism.
This year’s MVSB Foundation grant recipients in your area are:
Annie’s Angel Memorial FundStratham
$5,000 was awarded this winter to help families and individuals facing difficult circumstances heat their homes. The Annie’s Angels Memorial Fund’s mission is to help local families suffering financially from life-threatening illnesses, diseases and disabilities. They have a variety of programs that cater to the diverse needs of their communities.
Arts in ReachPortsmouth
$5,000 was awarded to support after-school and artist programs for underserved and at-risk teens. Arts In Reach targets teens who face inequality and lack access to quality programs based on gender identity, health, neurodiversity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. An out-of-school program aimed at closing the opportunity gap for young people.
Rockingham County Child Advocacy CenterPortsmouth
$5,000 was awarded to expand prevention and comprehensive services to families affected by abuse and violence, and to keep children safe and healthy. The Child Advocacy Center in Rockingham County works to provide a safe environment for evaluating suspected abuse against children ages 3 through her 18.
share fundRochester
$7,500 was awarded to support a fresh dairy program for Food Pantry participants. The SHARE Fund’s mission is to provide material and financial assistance to address urgent basic needs and encourage people to become financially independent.
SOS recovery community organizationRochester
$5,000 was awarded to provide scholarship opportunities for the Peer Assisted Recovery curriculum. The curriculum is an extensive multi-day Boot His Camp focused on providing peer-based support, suicide prevention, ethical considerations, HIV and her hepatitis C awareness, and motivational interviewing. The mission of the SOS Recovery Community Organization is to reduce the harm and stigma of drug use by supporting all those affected by drug use with peer-based solutions and advocacy.
Support for movement of coastal citizensHampton
$3,000 was awarded for transportation service marketing costs and volunteer mileage reimbursement. Coastal Citizens’ Transportation Assistance helps people maintain their health, independence and dignity by mobilizing volunteer drivers to provide rides to eligible residents of the coastal communities they serve.
food pantry
16 local food pantries that serve the same communities as MVSB will also share in the $16,000 contribution.
Kennebunk Savings total donations for 2022 are $1.8 million
Kennebunk, Maine – Kennebunk Savings Community Promise’s annual giving program looks back on the year with donations to local nonprofits. Total donations for 2022 totaled $1.8 million, with 362 groups receiving funding. The Community Pledge is a source of pride for mutually owned banks and their employees. Bradford C. Paige, President and CEO, said: “Our community commitment is central to our purpose, and being as involved as we are is part of our identity.”
Among the bank’s contributions this year was a season-long sponsorship of the New Hampshire Theater Project (NHTP). NHTP is a community-oriented arts non-profit organization located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s West End. “The Kennebunk Savings Season Sponsorship is invaluable to the New Hampshire Theater Project. Without sponsors like Kennebunk Savings, we would not be able to produce the high-quality, thought-provoking performances NHTP is known for.” It is also This encourages community dialogue on the issues and themes covered on the show.
A grant from the bank was used to further expand the Sanford Community Gardens managed by the Sanford Springvale Moorsum Way Land Trust. “With the support of Kennebunk Savings, we have been able to serve more gardeners and his three social services agencies.We have also been able to offer a summer gardening program for 20 preteens.” said Bud Johnston, Director of the Trust. The Sanford Head Start Program has also received approximately 400 pounds of produce from the gardens. In 2023 the Land Trust plans to expand the gardens with greenhouses and stilt beds to increase accessibility.
Kennebunk Savings helped fund the preservation and protection of Berkeley properties in the Hamptons. This is a project that Hampton Conservation Commission Chairman Jay Diener called “an extraordinary achievement.” The land encompasses 22 acres of pristine wetlands and highlands in an already highly developed area of the Hamptons. “This facility has many great qualities related to stormwater management, water quality, wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. It gives us the opportunity to settle in between or by the flowing water and spend a moment of peace and tranquility, which is as important to the success of our community as a vibrant economy or a good school,” says Diener. says Mr.
The bank also supported the work of its longtime educational partner, Junior Achievement of Maine. Abby Rioux, the group’s head of development, said the bank’s grant “is projected to empower her more than 1,400 students in York County between 2022 and her 2023 school year.” said. The group’s school programs teach skills such as budgeting and career planning as part of the Financial Education and Work Readiness for Children of York County initiative. “After her two difficult years that created serious academic barriers for children in Maine, Kennebunk Savings’ support continues to inspire students to dream big and realize their potential. ” continued Rioux.
The Bank’s Spotlight Fund, an active arm of the endowment program, targets and supports three distinct causes: preventing and reversing substance use disorders, alleviating food insecurity, and supporting early childhood development. I made a limited donation. Spotlight grants include helping purchase a Maine Reconstruction Fund car to buy a car to commute to clients, as well as contributing to the construction of a new Family First Medical Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I was.
While the total $1.8 million donation represents the Bank’s best commitment to the community yet, Page emphasized one of the Bank’s informal internal mottos. Believe it,” he said. A Kennebunk Savings employee says in 2022 he’s logged 8,950 volunteer hours. Liz Torrance, Vice President and Social Responsibility Manager at the bank, said: She sits on the board, helps organize fundraisers, participates in yard work, and cares for animals at the shelter. ”
Volunteering took some of our employees out to sea to help Special Surfers, a non-profit organization that provides surfing lessons to individuals with disabilities. Kennebunk Savings is a long-standing sponsor and provider of volunteer assistance. “This summer was my first time volunteering with Special Surfers, and I will make sure not to miss it,” said Jess Owens, manager of Kennebunk’s Lower His Village branch. “The smiles of the participants and the tears of the parents were really amazing. To really understand it, you have to experience it yourself. Thank you for your contribution and we are counting down the days until our next event!”
The World Bank’s Community Relations team, which manages annual donations, has been responsive since the pandemic began. “The COVID-19 situation has prompted our nonprofit partners to get creative, expand access to their services and create new channels,” he explains Torrance. “Two years later, the scope of their work has expanded permanently, but many of them still operate on lower levels of funding.