Aid for Kids on ballot to receive funds
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
Danette Ellis, director of the “Other Maine Project,” was very pleased when she learned Aid for Kids (The Degenhardt Foundation) was chosen as one of the charitable groups on the ballot for the Community Matters More grant through Bangor Savings Bank.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for non-profits to get exposure and also have a chance to receive up to $5,000,” Ellis said. “With that $5,000, we could acquire approximately $50,000 worth of items that we would then donate to our community and beyond.”
The Community Matters More program awards 68 grants to organizations listed on their ballot and to the top 20 write-in vote recipients. The top vote-getting organizations in each of the eight regions (Central, Downeast, Greater Bangor, Greater Portland/Lewiston/Auburn; Midcoast; Northern; Western and York County) will receive $5,000 each. The remaining 60 organizations will be awarded $1,000.
“We take pride in giving back to our community,” said Chris Nickerson, vice president northern area sales manager for Bangor Savings Bank. “We are once again pleased to support one of our local non-profit organizations.”
Ellis said that non-profit organizations appreciate the generosity of Bangor Savings Bank. “We hope that great opportunity continues for many years. Since this contest is community-driven, we encourage everyone to vote.”
The Community Matters More through Bangor Savings started in 2008, and Bangor Savings has donated $330,000 to non-profit organizations. Some past winners of $1,000 through Community Matters More were Houlton Community Arts Center; Mill Pond After-School Program and Katahdin Valley Health Center.
The program allows each person (no age limitations) to cast three votes for three non-profit organizations of choice from any region, along with one write-in recipient. The only requirement is that a person live in Maine or have a Maine address. A person does not have to be a bank customer. Three ways to vote are online under www.bangor.com/cmm, return a ballot to the nearest branch office of Bangor Savings Bank or pick up a ballot at the Aid for Kids office in Market Square.
Aid for Kids is a non-profit humanitarian group working with many partners to acquire and distribute items to needy individuals throughout Maine.
“The ‘Other Maine’ project is only one part of Aid for Kids,” said Ellis. “We also do work in many countries around the world. We are an all-volunteer organization, so any and all donations go directly back to the program.”
For detailed information about the organization, visit www.aidforkids.org.
Aid for Kids has been cited as a leader in distributing items to individuals or charitable organizations in Aroostook County, along with Washington, Kennebec, Piscataquis and Penobscot counties.
In the last six months, Ellis said the Aid for Kids organization has been working diligently.
“We are working on the return of Bess the Book Bus sometime in July or August,” she said. “We have a couple of children’s authors who will also be coming along this year, and we plan to increase the amount and variety of books that we have to give away. We expect to have the Bus in Maine for approximately three weeks so that we can cover many different areas of the state.”
Aid for Kids has also distributed more than 3,000 books and educational items to individuals, educational institutions and more than 30 charitable organizations.
“We have donated a large amount of pens, tablets and teaching aids to schools, as well as 12 torso mannequins,” Ellis explained.
Voting for Community Matters More began Monday, Jan. 24 and finishes March 7.
