People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, awarded $37,029 to Maine-based nonprofits during its first grant cycle of 2018.
Funding was allocated to four nonprofit organizations in support of basic needs services and affordable housing initiatives:
- Good Shepherd Food Bank, an Auburn-based nonprofit with a location in Hampden that distributed 24 million meals to Mainers in need through our network of 400 local partner agencies — food pantries, meal sites, schools, senior centers — ranging from Kittery to Fort Kent.
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor, a nonprofit that has worked in partnership with volunteers and low-income families since 1989 to build 19 simple, decent houses in the local community.
- The Opportunity Alliance, a South Portland-based Community Action Agency that oversees programs ranging from children, youth and adult mental health services to crisis intervention on prevention services.
- Wayside Food Programs, a Portland-based organization working to increase access to food for those in need in Southern Maine by providing a system for community-based volunteers who serve prepared meals where such meals are needed, and by collaborating with other hunger agencies and community stakeholders in developing an efficient network for the collection and equitable distribution of food.
The foundation also contributed 16% of its funding to local United Way organizations across its footprint through the People’s United Bank employee match campaign. Recipients in Maine included United Way of Eastern Maine, United Way of York County, United Way of Greater Portland and United Way of Mid-Maine.
“We are proud to partner with and show our ongoing support for the hundreds of nonprofit organizations across our footprint that have dedicated countless hours to having a positive impact on their local communities, and to bringing change to the lives of local residents and businesses,” said Karen Galbo, executive director of the foundation.
In total, People’s United Community Foundation awarded $1.13 million during its first grant cycle of 2018 to 177 organizations throughout the communities it serves in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
The grants were disseminated in alignment with the foundation’s three areas of focus, including 39% to community and economic development, 29% to youth development, and 16% to affordable housing initiatives.