Bar Harbor Bank & Trust donates more than $400K to 450 nonprofits in 2019


BAR HARBOR, MAINE –In celebration of Giving Tuesday, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust announces the year-to-date results of its charitable giving programs. From January through November 2019, the Bank has donated more than $400,000 to approximately 450 nonprofit organizations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. This includes more than $40,000 donated through the employee-driven giving program, Casual for a Cause.

“As a community bank, we understand the importance of partnering with nonprofit organizations so our collective efforts can make a significant impact on the communities where we live and work,” said Jack Frost, VP, Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Nonprofit organizations provide critical services for families and individuals in need, and it’s our honor to help them further their goals and better the lives of the people and communities in Northern New England.”

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust’s charitable mission is to improve the economic prosperity and health of local communities through a commitment to impactful philanthropy and volunteer service engagement. Key focus areas for the Bank’s community giving are education and workforce development initiatives.

Some of the organizations that the Bank has donated to during 2019 include:

• Maine – Camp Beech Cliff, Maine Seacoast Mission, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, Schoodic Arts for All, Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine, Emmaus Homeless Shelter, and YWCA MDI.

• New Hampshire – The Fells Historic Estate & Gardens, Boys & Girls Clubs, Turning Points Network, Colby-Sawyer College, New London Hospital, United Way, Careers CLiC, Girls Incorporated, and Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter

• Vermont – Northern Stage, Chandler Center for the Arts, Windsor County Mentors, Capstone Community Action, Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity, The Upper Valley Haven, HealthHub, Gifford Medical Center, and Everybody Wins! Vermont

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust’s Debbie Mitchell-Dow (right) presents a donation to Abigail Robinson (left) of the YWCA of MDI in honor of Giving Tuesday.

The Bank also facilitates Casual for a Cause, an employee-driven charitable giving program. Bank employees dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a contribution to a pool of funds collected during each quarter. The employees then select and vote on three nonprofits to receive their contributions. Gifts contributed by Bank employees in 2019 totaled just over $40,000.

In addition to financial giving, Bank employees have volunteered more than 6,000 hours to date in 2019 to help organizations serving the communities where they live and work. The Bank advocates and supports employee volunteerism, from promoting specific volunteer opportunities to providing paid time off for volunteer activities.

Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 to set aside a day that encourages people to do good. It has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Learn more about Giving Tuesday at www.givingtuesday.org.

Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.