Rollstone bank gift boosts United Way
Working Families Initiative benefits
FITCHBURG » The Rollstone Bank & Trust recently donated $10,000 to the United Way of North Central Massachusetts’
Working Families Initiative to help lowand-moderate-income individuals and families increase their income, build savings, gain assets, and ultimately develop the capability to fully integrate into the economy.
“UWNCM has historically done fantastic work to help foster growth and improve the lives of the families and individuals of our Massachusetts’ communities,” said Martin F. Connors Jr., president and CEO of Rollstone Bank & Trust. “We are thrilled to be able to support them in helping to achieve their goals of building pathways
out of poverty and opportunities for financial stability for the citizens of North Central Massachusetts.”
The Working Families Network of Massachusetts utilizes a range of research- based strategies to advance the financial capability of area residents.
The network is anchored by eight local Financial Opportunity Centers.
These FOCs provide numerous financial resources for families such as employment and career coun
seling, one- to- one financial coaching, group education and access to products and services designed to help families increase income, build savings, and work toward gaining and sustaining these assets.
“There are a number of cities and towns across the commonwealth with populations who continue to experience significant levels of poverty and instability,” said Kory Eng, president and CEO of UWNCM. “Fitchburg, Leominster and Athol have poverty rates between 1.8 and 2.7 times the statewide average, with female heads of household and minority families most likely to ex
perience some kind of economic insecurity due to unemployment, skill- gap, low wages, low overall educational attainment and high housing costs.”
Serving over 1,600 individuals per year, the Working Families Network of Massachusetts continues to produce promising, measurable results.
On average, participants of the program located in the Massachusetts network have increased credit scores by 30 points and increased savings by nearly $300/ year, while over 95% of individuals reporting noticeable increases in financial knowledge and/or capability.