Mutual One Bank Content

Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and Chairman of the MutualOne Charitable Foundation, announced that St. Bridget’s Food Pantry in Framingham has been awarded a $10,000 Foundation Grant.

Now in its 29th year, St. Bridget’s Food Pantry provides food assistance to Framingham residents who, through socioeconomic or health factors, are unable to meet their need for food. The Pantry helps about 140 households a week with the need increasing at holiday time. The Foundation grant will help provide nutritious choices, holiday foods and non-perishable items.

“This is a time when we all need to step forward to help those in need,” said Haranas. “The St. Bridget’s Food Pantry’s mission is to provide for residents of our community who are facing challenges in their lives. We are pleased to support that endeavor.”

Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and Chairman of the MutualOne Charitable Foundation, announced that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass & MetroWest has been awarded a $5,000 Foundation Grant to support their Girls in STEAM E-Mentoring (G.E.M.) program in Framingham and Natick.

According to Big Brothers Big Sisters Executive Director Jeffrey Chin, the program matches at-risk youth with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) women professionals from area corporations, higher education, and the community.

“The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, one-to-one relationships that change lives for better, forever,” said Haranas. “It is with great pleasure that we support their effort to create a new STEAM focused program that supports and empowers young women in our community.”

Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee has announced an $8,500 grant to the Natick Center Cultural District (NCCD) to fund community public art in eight traffic calming areas in Natick Center.

According to NCCD Executive Director Athena Pandolf, the traffic calming areas – or bump-outs – were specified in a recent outdoor dining and pedestrian safety project conducted by the firm of Nelson Nygaard working with the Town of Natick.

“Traffic calming is a design strategy that aims to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the downtown area,” said Sousa. “As a local business with a downtown presence, we are pleased to support this effort.”

With its recent $10,000 donation to United Way of Tri-County (UWTC), the MutualOne Charitable Foundation was able to provide full holiday meals to 200 local families. The grant was announced by Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee. This is the sixth consecutive year the MutualOne Charitable Foundation has supported the Feed a Family campaign.

According to Paul Mina, president and CEO of UWTC, each $50 donation provides a family with a complete holiday meal.

“By providing meals, we are not just helping people meet their nutritional needs. A holiday meal represents a time for family to reflect and give thanks for what they have,” Mina said. “This year will look different without families gathering as in past years. Despite that, families will find new ways to celebrate and give thanks over a table full of food.”

“It gives us great pleasure to support a program that allows families who struggle every day to make ends enjoy the traditional holiday meal that too many of us take for granted,” said Sousa.

Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee has announced a $10,000 grant to Natick’s Morse Institute Library to support their initiative to digitize 84 microfilm rolls of the Natick Bulletin issues from 1869-2004.

“The Natick Bulletin is the local newspaper of record for the Town of Natick, yet the early issues are not digitally accessible anywhere,” said Morse Institute Board of Trustees President Kathleen Donovan. “This project will create a one-of-a-kind archive that is keyword searchable and is accessible to anyone from anywhere.”

“We are pleased to assist the Library in their efforts to preserve the history of the Town of Natick,” said Sousa.

Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and Chairman of the MutualOne Charitable Foundation, announced today that A Place To Turn in Natick has been awarded the Foundation’s annual $20,000 Robert P. Lamprey Community Grant.

A Place To Turn assists low-income MetroWest families and individuals with basic needs such as food and diapers. The MutualOne award provides funding for general operating support as well as the establishment of an online ordering system, according to A Place to Turn Executive Director Joanne Barry.

“The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the food insecurity issues in our area,” said Haranas. “With this grant, we hope to address the increased local needs. And we are pleased to do it in the name of Bob Lamprey.”

The annual Robert Lamprey Community Grant was established in 2014 to honor Robert “Bob” Lamprey, former chairman of the board of MutualOne Bank and of the MutualOne Charitable Foundation, for his longstanding commitment, concern, and caring for those in need in our community.

The annual Lamprey Grant is restricted to a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization focused primarily on the towns of Framingham and/or Natick, and must benefit a low-income or less-advantaged and/or under-served population.