Florence Bank to Exceed $1.1 Million in Giving at This Year’s 17th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program

 In Client Press Releases

Event scheduled for March 5 at Look Memorial Park

FLORENCE—Fifty-five nonprofit organizations in the Pioneer Valley will receive a check from Florence Bank on Tuesday, March 5 at the 17th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants awards ceremony at the Garden House at Look Park from 5 to 7 p.m.

Florence Bank president and CEO John Heaps Jr. will hand out the checks, marking $1.1 million in terms of grants the bank has made to community nonprofits over almost two decades.

“We are a committed community partner, and we love this annual event, which offers us the chance to invest in organizations that benefit our employees, customers, neighbors, families and friends,” Heaps said.

The Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program is an annual offering founded in 2002, through which Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding.

To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. Ten organizations that received between 40 and 49 votes were also invited to attend the event this year to be in a drawing for one additional $500 award.

This year, these organizations will receive funds for the first time: It Takes a Village in Cummington; Children First Enterprises, Inc. of Granby; Friends of Northampton Legion; Smith Vocational High School Parent Teacher Organization of Northampton; Belchertown Public Schools; Historic Northampton; Northampton Neighbors; and Cub Scout Pack 705 of Chesterfield.

Additionally, these other organizations will receive an award at the event: Dakin Humane Society; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County; Friends of Forbes Library; Friends of Lilly Library; Cancer Connection; Northampton Survival Center; Amherst Survival Center; Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; Friends of the Williamsburg Library; Our Lady of the Hills Parish; New Hingham Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization; Northampton High School Parent Teacher Organization; Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation; Easthampton Elementary Schools Parent Teacher Organization; BARC, Inc.; Belchertown K-9; Friends of Hilltown Cooperative Charter School; Granby Senior Center; Grow Food Northampton; Safe Passage; Belchertown Firefighters Association; Friends of Clapp Library; Jackson Street School Parent Teacher Organization; Northampton Senior Center; R.K. Finn Ryan Road School; Williamsburg Firefighter Association; Leeds Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School; Bright Spot Therapy Dogs; Northampton Community Music Center; Easthampton Dollars for Scholars; Friends of Northampton Legion; Tapestry Health Systems; Children First Enterprises, Inc.; Whole Children; Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library; Riverside Industries, Inc.; Kestrel Land Trust; Friends of Amherst Senior Center; Smith Vocational High School Parent Teacher Organization; Hitchcock Center for the Environment; Cooley Dickinson Hospital; Easthampton Community Center; Belchertown Public Schools; Historic Northampton; It Takes A Village; Northampton Neighbors; Pelham Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization; John F. Kennedy Middle School; Hospice of the Fisher Home; Cub Scout Pack 705; Emily Williston Library; Granby Free Public Library; Amherst Regional Public Schools; and Manna Soup Kitchen.

The Customers’ Choice Community Grants program is a year-long initiative. Customers’ of the bank can vote via paper ballots at each bank branch location or online at https://www.florencebank.com/vote.

Florence Bank has branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg, West Springfield, and Springfield, and it is headquartered in Florence.

Florence Bank is a mutually-owned savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 11 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, West Springfield and a new branch located on Allen Street in Springfield. Additionally, they offer 28 ATMs and a wide range of financial services including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses.  Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  

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