Mutual One Bank Content

A recent $8,400 grant from the MutualOne Charitable Foundation is helping the Framingham Police Department put three “Safety Ambassador” interns to work in the community this summer. Announcement of the award was made today by Steven M. Sousa, MutualOne Bank executive vice president and chief operating officer and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee.

According to Framingham Police Chief Kenneth Ferguson, the interns will provide the department with “insight and support to improve the efficiency of crime reporting” in the downtown area. They will also provide a variety of services to improve the downtown atmosphere, including reporting on problem areas, connecting with the homeless, and serving as an additional public safety resource at sponsored events. The program was designed with support from Framingham Downtown Renaissance, Ferguson said, with the focus on a safe and healthy downtown community.

“We are pleased to provide the Framingham Police Department with the financial support they need to put this intern program in place,” said Sousa. “It is another approach to community outreach and will help support the move toward downtown revitalization and development.”

Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee, announced today that the Foundation has awarded $3,000 to Parents Association of the Handicapped (PATH), the Natick Recreation and Parks Department, and Camp Arrowhead to provide camperships for families requiring financial assistance.

Located in Natick on the shore of Lake Cochituate, Camp Arrowhead serves local children and adults with a variety of special needs through a six-week summer social and physical recreation day camp and a one-week residential camp in New Hampshire.

“The Foundation is pleased to offer its support to the professionals and trained volunteers who have kept this program up and running successfully for more than 55 years for the benefit of so many families and individuals in our community,” said Haranas.

 

Youngsters living at the Framingham Housing Authority’s Musterfield Place family residences will have more to do this summer, thanks to a recent $10,000 grant from the MutualOne Charitable Foundation.

The Foundation award will help fund the salaries of a summer staff for the on-site recreation and outdoor play camp program that was started by the Housing Authority five years ago.

According to Stephen G. Keane, executive director of the Framingham Housing Authority, last year’s program for the Musterfield community was supported by a grant from the Attorney General’s office. There is no open grant opportunity from the state this year, he said.

“The program provides supervised outdoor recreation opportunity for youngsters who might otherwise be glued to a computer or television screen all day,” said Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee. “The Musterfield recreation program is a viable and valuable alternative to screen time. We’re pleased to help guarantee that it will be available to the residents and their families again this year.”

The MutualOne Charitable Foundation has awarded $2,500 to the Framingham Cultural Council (FCC), a nonprofit organization supporting local activities and programs in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.

Partnering with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, FCC provides annual grants to individuals, schools, and cultural organizations with the goal of improving the quality of life for all residents and contributing to the economic vitality of the community. FCC supports a broad range of activities, including music, dance, theater, history, storytelling, visual arts, and school field trips.

“Our donation to the Framingham Cultural Council will help augment the funds it receives from the state and the support from others in our community who realize the value of the program,” said Steven M. Sousa, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee. “The more we all invest in our community, the greater the return will be.”

Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and a MutualOne Charitable Foundation trustee, has announced a $1,000 Foundation grant to Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts to support camperships providing financial assistance for Framingham and Natick families.

“Camp programs offer quality summer learning and enrichment opportunities for the young people in our community,” said Haranas. “These advantages should be available to all, regardless of their financial situation, and we’re happy to help make that possible.”

Robert P. Lamprey, chairman of the MutualOne Charitable Foundation announced today that the Foundation has awarded $6,500 to MetroWest Legal Services (MWLS).

Based in Framingham, MWLS provides free legal advocacy in civil cases to protect and advance the rights of the poor, elderly, disabled, homeless and other disenfranchised individuals.

“We feel very fortunate to count the MutualOne Bank and the MutualOne Charitable Foundation to be among our most dedicated supporters,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Soulé.

Together, the Bank and its Foundation continue, for the seventh year, to be the presenting sponsor of MWLS’s annual fundraiser, the Nancy King Memorial Golf Tournament. The Bank and its Foundation have also provided financial support through donations over the past decade.