Bank employees participating in Casual for a Cause dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a bi-weekly payroll deduction made to a pool of funds collected during each quarter. The employees then vote on the nonprofits to receive their contributions. Employees have donated more than $150,000 to more than 70 organizations since the program launched in 2018.

 

“Our employees truly care about the communities where we live and work, which is why they contribute a portion of their wages to the Casual for a Cause program,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “The program gives them a way to combine their charitable giving contributions and make more impactful donations to organizations who provide essential services to our neighbors in need.”

 

The following are recipients of Q4 2021 donations.

 

Community Closet is a nonprofit thrift shop in Ellsworth, Maine, that provides clothes and other necessities to people in need, including those impacted by disaster, domestic violence, homelessness, and more. Staffed entirely by volunteers, Community Closet is a place where neighbors help neighbors. Learn more at www.communityclosetellsworth.org.

 

“Your donation to the Community Closet will help us continue our mission of making sure no person goes without a warm coat and clothing to wear, food on the table, blankets on their bed, and help to meet all their needs,” said Jackie Wycoff, Director of Community Closet. “Thank you for helping us continue this mission and for your amazing employees for wanting to be a part of making that happen”

New Hope Midcoast is the only domestic abuse resource center serving residents in the counties of Lincoln, Knox, Sagadahoc, and Waldo in Maine. The organization provides a wealth of education resources as well as advocacy services including emergency shelter, legal support, and support groups for people affected by domestic violence. Learn more atwww.newhopemidcoast.org.

 

“New Hope Midcoast, Midcoast Maine's only Domestic Violence Resource Center, sincerely appreciates this generous donation that will allow us to provide comprehensive and empowering services for victims of domestic abuse, dating violence and stalking including a 24/7 helpline, legal advocacy, emergency sheltering, long-term transitional housing and educational presentations to a wide variety of audiences from students and school staff to businesses and healthcare professionals,” said Rebekah Paredes, Executive Director for New Hope Midcoast.

 

Kearsarge Food Hub, located in New Hampshire, is on a mission to reinvigorate the community within a restorative local food system through cultivating food sovereignty, growing engaged learners, and nurturing community. They serve these initiatives through Sweet Beet Farm + Market + Cafe as well as through educational, food security, and community building programming. Learn more at www.kearsargefoodhub.org.

 

“Through the generosity of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, the Kearsarge Food Hub will continue to help us cultivate food sovereignty, grow engaged learners and nurture community resilience through our food security and food and farm-based education work,” said Lauren Howard, Cofounder and Co-Executive Director for Kearsarge Food Hub. “We're honored to be chosen by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees to receive these funds, and we promise to put them to work immediately serving our neighbors.”

 

Willing Hands, also located in New Hampshire, recovers fresh food from farms, grocery stores, restaurants, and wholesalers and delivers it at no cost to 80 social service organizations across the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire. They serve 30,000 individuals annually with 4 million servings while mitigating nearly 1 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from food that would have otherwise gone to waste. Learn more at www.willinghands.org.

 

“Our work to end hunger and reduce food waste in the Upper Valley would not be possible without the support of community members like you,” said Krista Karlson, Outreach and Development Manager at Willing Hands. “You are helping us keep our delivery trucks on the road year-round so that everyone in our region has consistent access to healthy, nutritious food!”

 

Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County, Vermont is committed to inspiring and enabling all young people to realize their full potential as productive responsible and caring citizens. Their Clubs offer safe places to learn and play; positive role models; and educational programming on topics such as character and leadership development. Learn more atwww.rutlandbgclub.org.

 

“Without so much as a request, your employees chose us for a generous donation,” said David Woolpy, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County. “If more folks were as considerate as the Bar Harbor [Bank & Trust] people, my job would be easy. This wonderful gift will help us sponsor more children in our summer program. When kids have to spend so many days at home, nothing is better than getting them out in the summer sunshine.”

 

LISTEN Community Services of Vermont provides services and support to meet the basic needs of neighbors in need, including those facing obstacles such as job loss, illness, and temporary displacement. LISTEN connects them with a variety of resources to help them in their efforts to achieve and maintain successful independence. Learn more at www.listencs.org.

 

“We are so grateful to BHBT and the Casual for a Cause Program for donating to our Summer Camp Program,” said Eileen Lambert, Communications & Development Manager of LISTEN. “Our goal is to send as many youngsters with financial needs to camp as possible. Your gift will help us achieve that goal! Many thanks for remembering the children!”

 

Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine.