Pioneer Bank Foundation launched
COLONIE, N.Y. » Pioneer Bank now has a new nonprofit dedicated to supporting charitable organizations in the Capital Region.
The longtime Troy- based bank, which moved its headquarters to Colonie 2016, announced on Thursday the creation the Pioneer Bank Foundation.
The foundation is expected to aid area charities that provide important services to children and their families related to education, nutrition, clothing and housing, with a focus on “Helping Kids Be Kids.”
The announcement was made during a press conference at Pioneer Bank’s headquarters, at which Pioneer Bank President and CEO Tom Amell announced Pioneer Bank will match employee donations to the newlyformed Foundation in 2019 and beyond. Amell was joined by Pioneer Bank leadership and staff as well as New York State Senator Neil Breslin and New York State Assemblymember Phil Steck.
“Pioneer Bank has a long and proud tradition of giving back to the communities we serve, and the formation of the Pioneer Bank Foundation is another chapter in that story,” Amell said in a press release. “We are proud to focus on serious issues that impact vulnerable children in our communities – such as nutritional and housing instability and lack of educational re- sources – to help ‘Kids Be Kids’ in the Capital Region.”
Senator Breslin added, “Pioneer Bank has always been a leader in giving back to the community. This foundation is another example of that participation.”
Albany County Executive Dan- iel P. McCoy agreed. “As our hardworking families throughout the Capital Region struggle to put nutritious meals on the table and make ends meet, today’s announcement of this new nonprofit is welcome news,” he said in the release. “Pioneer Bank has
long been a proud partner in the community and I am thrilled they are helping us provide the educational resources and basic necessities that our children need to learn, grow and be successful later in life.”
Additionally, Amell was joined by Audra Higgins, Board President of CARES of NY, a not-for-profit organization that provides planning and administrative services to communities fighting homelessness, with which Pioneer Bank has had a longstanding beneficial partnership. CARES of NY serves 27 counties in New York, including communities in which Pioneer Bank works.
“This year alone, we have seen nearly 3,000 people in Capital Region emergency shelters,” Higgins said in the release. “This includes families, young adults, children, and veterans. These are people that deserve the safety and stability of a home, access to community services and the opportunities to contribute. We continue to actively work with partners like Pioneer Bank and Tom Amell to develop new ways to serve the needs in our region and eliminate the pain and despair felt by those enduring homelessness.”
Amell continued, “The mission of CARES of NY is perfectly in-line with the kind of positive impacts that we want to make via the Pioneer Foundation. Stable housing is a critical factor for child development and we’re proud to support an organization that does such an important service for children and families in the Capital Region.”
Amell also announced the Pioneer Bank Foundation’s first major event: The Pioneer Bank Foundation Grand Carnival. The familyfriendly event will be held on from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 outside the Pioneer Bank headquarters at 652 Albany Shaker Rd. in Colonie. Attendees will enjoy food, family friendly activities, entertainment and games. Admission is $5 per person or $20 per family.
All proceeds from the Grand Carnival ticket sales will go to the Pioneer Bank Foundation. Except for the Wolf Road branch that will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., all Pioneer branches will be closed on Saturday, September 8, to give Pioneer team members the opportunity to volunteer at the Grand Carnival. Customers may also utilize the six Interactive Teller Machines throughout the Capital Region or contact the Customer Care Center at (518) 730- 3000 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More information on Pioneer Bank and its charitable giving is available online at www.pioneerbanking.com/ foundation.