Mutual One Bank Content

The MutualOne Charitable Foundation has awarded $5,000 to support St. Bridget’s Food Pantry, an all-volunteer effort that provides food assistance to an average of 150 Framingham households each week, and up to 250 households at holiday time.

“The volunteers at St. Bridget’s Food Pantry have been providing for those in need of assistance in our community for more than 25 years,” said Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of MutualOne Bank and the MutualOne Charitable Foundation. “We are pleased to help them continue to meet the needs of the many families and individuals who rely on them.”

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Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee, announced today that the Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest has been awarded the Foundation’s annual $20,000 Robert Lamprey Community Grant.

The Foundation’s gift will support a new program at the recently relocated Framingham Clubhouse on Clinton Street: Violence Prevention Through Positive Youth Development. The project will address youth violence and provide programs that improve community safety by reducing youth violence, juvenile delinquency, and related negative behavior. The initiative, which includes collaboration with the Framingham Police Department, will include education, prevention, and enforcement programs, according to Francis X. Hurley, Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest president.

The program is designed to target youth ages 10-17 and will focus on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.

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

“The presence of an active Boys & Girls Club in the heart of Framingham is a stepping stone to a positive future for many of our young people,” Haranas added. “MutualOne was pleased to award the annual Lamprey Grant to support an innovative new program designed to help make that possible, and as an additional tribute to Bob Lamprey for his time-honored devotion to helping today’s youth realize and achieve their potential.”

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.

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Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee, announced today that the Foundation has awarded $5,000 to support Family Promise Metrowest’s Steps to Success Program.

Based in Natick, Family Promise Metrowest is a cooperative, interfaith partnership offering hope to homeless families with children through safe transitional shelter, meals, and supportive case management as they seek permanent housing. Local congregations and a network of over 2,500 trained volunteers furnish safe, temporary shelter and meals on a rotating basis while professional staff assist families in reaching goals that end the cycle of homelessness.

According to Sue Crossley, executive director of Family Promise Metrowest, the Steps to Success program offers a comprehensive approach to employment, education, and skills development that assists families in reaching their highest earning potential and accomplishing long-term sustainability.

“MutualOne is proud to be part of the community approach to helping homeless families with children achieve and sustain their independence and ensure their future success,” said Sousa.

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The MutualOne Charitable Foundation has awarded $2,500 to the Stapleton Elementary School in Framingham to establish a lending library for students. The grant was announced today by Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee.

The request for funds to establish a student library was made by Stapleton staff members Debbie Price, resource support teacher, and Michele Biasella, literacy coach, who expressed a dire need for students to continue the reading skills they learn at school when they get home.

Stapleton School has a diverse student population including English Language Learners and special education students in its 21 classrooms.

“In order to grow in reading, our students need to read outside of school and not just in the classroom. Unfortunately, many of our students do not have access to texts at their level at home,” said the request for book sets and organizational supplies to create the new lending library.

“We wholeheartedly agree with the comments by the Stapleton staff that books are an important part of education, and that the more exposure children have to quality literature, the richer their lives will be,” said Sousa. “The MutualOne Foundation is proud to fund the new Stapleton Elementary School lending library.”

 

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