bankESB pledges $150,000 to help fight hunger
Easthampton, Massachusetts, February 18, 2022 – Matthew S. Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank will pledge $150,000 over the next five years to help address food insecurity across the Pioneer Valley.
The bank pledged $50,000 toward The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ capital campaign, an effort to help fund the organization’s plans to build a distribution center and headquarters in Chicopee. At 64,000 square feet, the new building will have twice the space as the Food Bank’s existing warehouse in Hatfield. Construction is scheduled to be finished by the summer of 2023.
In addition, the bank plans to set aside $100,000 to help fund future matching contributions for its annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, which it launched last November. The inaugural appeal was part of the bank’s charitable giving program “The Giving Tree” and raised $19,000 through donations from customers, employees, and members of the community throughout the month of November. The bank matched every donation, dollar for dollar, and the total of $39,000 was divided among these 13 food pantries, for a donation of $3,000 per pantry: Amherst Survival Center Food Pantry; The Best Life Food Ministry, Agawam; BUCC Helping Hands Cupboard Food Pantry, Belchertown; Easthampton Community Center Food Pantry; Easthampton Congregational Church Food Cupboard & Oasis Kitchen; The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Hatfield; The Hadley Food Pantry; Hilltown Food Pantry, Goshen; Margaret’s Pantry, Holyoke; Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Inc., South Hadley; Northampton Survival Center; Southampton Community Cupboard; and Westfield Food Pantry.
“Food insecurity is a problem we must all work together to solve, and bankESB is proud to help do its part through supporting The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and local food pantries as well as through hosting our Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraiser,” said Sosik. “We thank the staff and volunteers at food pantries across Western Massachusetts who make a difference in the lives of others every day, and appreciate everyone who donated to our Neighbors drive last fall. We look forward to making it an annual tradition to help families in need unlock their full potential.”
“With this generous support, bankESB has joined businesses and individuals across Western Massachusetts to invest in our region’s future emergency food network hub,” said Andrew Morehouse, executive director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.
In the Photo:
bankESB King St., Northampton office Assistant Vice President and Branch Officer Karen Craig (center) joins The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Andrew Morehouse (second from right) and Director of Philanthropy Jillian Morgan (second from left) as well as food operations staff members Alex Rivera, Neal Sobol, Lance Gauthier, and Jamel Newman. The bank pledged $50,000 toward the food bank’s capital campaign and additional $100,000 to help address food insecurity in Western Massachusetts.
About bankESB
Founded in 1869 as Easthampton Savings Bank, bankESB is headquartered in Easthampton, Massachusetts and operates 11 branches throughout Western Massachusetts. Through its sponsorship and charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, bankESB and the Easthampton Savings Bank Charitable Foundation support non-profit organizations and causes throughout Hampden and Hampshire counties. In 2021, The Giving Tree donated nearly $352,000 and over the past decade has donated more than $3.1 million. For more information, visit bankESB.com.
bankESB is a member of the Hometown Financial Group, a $3.4 billion mutual multi-bank holding company headquartered in Easthampton, Massachusetts and the parent company of bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. For more information, visit bankHFG.com.