Mutual One Bank Content

Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee, announced that the Foundation has awarded a $7,500 grant to A Place To Turn.

Located in Natick, A Place To Turn assists low-income MetroWest families and individuals with basic needs of food and clothing. The MutualOne award will provide funding for A Place To Turn’s “Eat Fresh” program that offers clients fresh fruits and vegetables in addition to routine food pantry items. This is the seventh consecutive year that the MutualOne Charitable Foundation has contributed to the “Eat Fresh” program, according to A Place to Turn Executive Director Joanne Barry.

“This is a time-tested program that takes traditional food pantry selections to a fresher, healthier level,” said Sousa.” We are happy to help.”

A recent $10,000 award from the MutualOne Charitable Foundation to Project Just Because will help provide local low-income families with school supplies and holiday items, according to Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a Foundation trustee.

The gift will support the Project Just Because Back to School initiative, which provides children with a backpack filled with school supplies, and its Holiday Wish List program, which distributes basic cold-weather necessities and small gift items to families in need. According to Cherylann Lambert Walsh, president and founder of Project Just Because, approximately 2,000 students received backpacks last year and over 15,000 Holiday Wish List packets were distributed.

“The number of our neighbors struggling to survive paycheck to paycheck is far greater than most of us realize,” said Sousa. “MutualOne is pleased to help provide support for those in the communities we serve when they are facing serious life challenges.”

The MutualOne Charitable Foundation has awarded $5,000 to Bethany Hill Place, a living and learning community that combines affordable housing with a range of programs and activities to help families reach their full potential. The grant will support the Power of Parenting program designed to help residents gain skills and knowledge to increase their parenting skills and promote the healthy well-being of their children.

“Many people lack the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively parent their children,” said Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer at MutualOne Bank and a Foundation trustee. “Our donation will support a program to help strengthen family relationships.”