SCARBOROUGH — Town & Country FCU’s ground-breaking ‘Better Neighbor Fund’ has begun the process for its 12th year of awarding funds to non-profits in Cumberland and York County. Nominations to fill the twenty-five non-profits who will move forward to participate in online voting in October opened on September 1st. Since 2010, Town & Country FCU has awarded $325,000 to nearly 100 non-profits solely through the ‘Better Neighbor Fund’ initiative.
“While several financial institutions now offer grants to non-profits through a nomination process, Town & Country was the first to start this type of program and we are proud that this has helped to, ultimately, deliver more funds to non-profits. The impact that our ‘Better Neighbor Fund’ grants has had on organizations in the past twelve years has been significant and we are excited at the impact that this year’s grants will have on area non-profits. Our ‘Better Neighbor Fund’ is part of our larger ‘Local Helping Local’ initiative and our commitment to supporting our neighborhoods and communities through organizations that make a difference,” stated Dave Libby, president and CEO of Town & Country FCU.
The nomination process is open to non-profits that are a designated 501(c)(3) organization and are headquartered and serve Cumberland and/or York Counties. Anyone can nominate a deserving non-profit including the non-profit itself. The first twenty-five non-profits nominated that meet eligibility requirements will then participate in an online vote during the month of October. The credit union will award a total of $25,000 in grants to the eight organizations with the most votes in grants ranging from $2K to $5K.
Jon Paradise, senior vice president of communications, marketing and community outreach at Town & Country, said, “Non-profits continue to face challenges with funds and support so the need remains great. These organizations provide important roles in our communities, from basic needs to non-profits that enrich where we live through arts and entertainment. There are such a wide range of non-profits that make a difference to different people so our ‘Better Neighbor Fund’ is a great way for our community to highlight some organizations that are special to them.”
To nominate an organization for the ‘Better Neighbor Fund’, go to http://www.tcfcu.com and click on click on community events.
As Maine’s second largest credit union with nearly 40,000 members, Town & Country is a full-service financial institution offering a wide range of financial products and services to people who live, work, go to school or worship in Cumberland and York Counties. The credit union has $525 million in assets, and is part of the largest branch network in the country. Town & Country is the only Maine credit union to be a three-time designee by Forbes as a ‘Best Credit Union in Maine’. To learn more, visit http://www.tcfcu.com.
