BAR HARBOR, Maine — Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees recently presented more than $23,000 in donations collected through the bank’s employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, to nine nonprofit organizations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The recipients of the donations collected during the second quarter of 2024 are: Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, Brunswick Area Teen Center, Healthy Peninsula, Island Housing Trust, and Midcoast Music Academy in Maine; Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust and Sullivan County Humane Society in New Hampshire; and Camp Thorpe and Gifford Medical Center in Vermont.
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 each quarter. The employees then vote on which nonprofits will receive the funds. The program has distributed more than $330,000 of employee donations since it began in 2018.
“Casual for a Cause is such a special program because it gives Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees the opportunity to come together and make substantial donations to causes they care about in our communities,” said Jack Frost, VP director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “The nonprofits find the donations especially meaningful because they were chosen by the employees. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
New Hampshire
Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust is a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve and protect the rural character of the Mt. Kearsarge/Ragged/Lake Sunapee region. The organization has protected 13,691 acres and recently launched a campaign to protect an additional 151 acres in Grantham, New Hampshire, known as Byron Barton Woods. Learn more about Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust at ausbonsargent.org.
“We are grateful for our relationship with Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and their employees showing their support of Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust,” said Andy Deegan, interim executive director of Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust. “Their generosity brings us closer to closing on the Byron Barton Woods and working towards our mission to preserve the rural landscape of the Mt. Kearsarge/Ragged/Lake Sunapee region.”
Sullivan County Humane Society is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of life for animals within Sullivan County and to putting an end to animal overpopulation, abandonment and neglect. The organization provides animal adoptions, low-cost spay/neuter programs, humane education and outreach and more. Learn more about Sullivan County Humane Society at sullivancountyhumanesociety.org.
“Sullivan County Humane Society is grateful to Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and its employees for their generous support,” said Cheryl Koenig, MSN, RN, volunteer director at Sullivan County Humane Society. “The Casual for a Cause donation will be used to further our mission of improving the quality of life for animals within our county and to putting an end to animal overpopulation, abandonment and neglect.”
Vermont
Camp Thorpe is dedicated to providing a fun and safe camping experience to children and adults with special needs. The camp is located on 171 acres in the Green Mountains, and campers receive individual care, close supervision and assistance with participation in all activities specially designed in a caring structured environment. Learn more about Camp Thorpe at campthorpe.org.
“Camp Thorpe is so pleased to receive the support of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and its employees through the Casual with a Cause program,” said Shelly Hudson, executive director at Camp Thorpe. “Their support will profoundly impact our mission to provide a safe and positive space for people with disabilities to experience summer in Vermont. We are proud to have them as one of our partners in this journey.”
Gifford Medical Center is a critical access hospital in Randolph, Vermont, nationally recognized for its importance in serving the rural community. The center provides a wide range of services including 24-hour emergency care, inpatient and outpatient services, diagnostic imaging, surgery and rehabilitation and end-of-life care. Learn more about Gifford Medical Center at giffordhealthcare.org/location/gifford-medical-center.
“This gift is a vote of confidence for Gifford and the importance of local health care,” said Ashley Lincoln, development & public relations director at Gifford Medical Center. “Since 1903, Gifford has been your community health care provider, and we strive every day to meet our patients where they are and provide the care they need when they need it.”
For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.
