Overall fundraising efforts totaled more than $130,029 statewide
Vermont Business Magazine In December, Community Bank NA challenged the community to help low-income Vermont families heat their homes in conjunction with Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s (CVOEO) WARMTH program. The bank pledged to match WARMTH donations dollar for dollar during December, up to a total of $17,500. Statewide, overall donations equaled $130,029.53, which is nearly $10,000 above last year’s campaign total. On February 4, 2020, Community Bank N.A. presented CVOEO with the $17,500 donation to celebrate the end of a successful campaign.
“Our community is truly one of a kind,” Community Bank N.A. New England Regional Manager Anita Bourgeois said. “We’re happy to have partnered with CVOEO again this year to support their WARMTH program. We’re always blown away by the outpouring of community support! Everyone deserves a home that is safe and warm. All of these donations will help the WARMTH program make that possible.”
All funds will be distributed by CVOEO for use by all five community action agencies statewide for the emergency-based WARMTH program to help offset home heating bills. One hundred percent of donations will be used for WARMTH client services. Last year, WARMTH provided fuel assists to more than 3,100 households statewide. Since its inception in 1986, WARMTH has helped approximately 80,000 families keep safe and warm throughout the winter season.
“In the deep winter, before the sun starts to warm the earth, Vermont families can depend on the WARMTH Program to keep them safe and heat their homes,” CVOEO Executive Director Jan Demers said. “Our community partnership with Community Bank N.A. makes this possible. The generosity of their matching donation spreads from neighbor to neighbor. This essential effort comforts and creates community and we are grateful.”
For more information about CVOEO and the WARMTH program, visit cvoeo.org. To apply for home-heating assistance, contact your local community action agency. Vermonters age 60 and older may also call the Senior Helpline at 800-642-5119 for assistance. For more information about Community Bank N.A., visit cbnanews.com.
Photo (left to right): CBNA District Manager Matt Villemaire, CVOEO Executive Director Jan Demers and New England Regional Manager Government and Retail Banking Anita Bourgeois.
About Community Bank System Inc.
Community Bank System Inc. operates more than 240 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts through its banking subsidiary, Community Bank N.A., and has been serving its communities for more than 150 years. With more than $11 billion in assets, the DeWitt, New York-headquartered company is among the country’s 100 largest financial institutions. Community Bank N.A. has consistently been ranked among the top 15 best banks in America by Forbes magazine for the past eight years running, and was most recently ranked third in 2019. In addition to a full range of retail and business banking services, the company offers comprehensive financial planning, insurance and wealth management services. Community Bank System Inc. subsidiaries/business units include OneGroup NY Inc., which provides risk management and commercial insurance, employee benefits and personal lines insurance; Community Bank Wealth Management, which provides investment advisory, personal trust and financial planning services, as well as personal, business and nonprofit portfolio design; and Benefit Plans Administrative Services Inc., which provides actuarial, retirement and VEBA/HRA plan administration, and collective investment fund, employee benefit trust and transfer agency services.
Community Bank System Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the company’s stock trades under the symbol “CBU.” For more information about Community Bank, visit cbna.com or ir.communitybanksystem.com.
About WARMTH
WARMTH is a statewide emergency-based program that utilizes privately donated funds to help prevent low-income households from going without heat during the winter season. The WARMTH program, which has existed since 1986, is administered by community action agencies across Vermont; community action staff provide advocacy and financial assistance to households in need to help them resolve their home-heating emergency. The WARMTH program is intended to supplement the state’s seasonal and crisis fuel assistance services.
Source: Burlington, Vt. — Community Bank NA 2.6.2020