ROCKLAND — Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees recently presented more than $22,000 in donations collected through the Bank’s employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, to seven nonprofit organizations serving Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont residents. The recipients of the donations for Q2 2023 are: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick, Down East Family YMCA, Mount Desert Island YMCA, and Rotary Club of Rockland in Maine; Lebanon Opera House and New London Barn Playhouse in New Hampshire; and Vermont Community Foundation in Vermont.

Rotary Club of Rockland is a service organization made up of business, professional, and community leaders who work together to address community issues. The club is currently working to build an inclusive playground at MacDougal Park in Rockland that caters to all children no matter their abilities.

“We are so appreciative of the generous donation from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust which has given our Rotary Club a significant boost towards our fundraising goal,” said Susan Ware Page, Rotary Club of Rockland member and All Aboard Playground Committee Chair, in a Bar Harbor Bank & Trust news release. “We are thrilled the employees chose to support our project with their Casual for a Cause program. It’s a true community project and we are honored to have their full support.”

Learn more about Rotary Club of Rockland at https://portal.clubrunner.ca/4205.

Employees participating in Casual for a Cause dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a bi-weekly payroll deduction made to a pool of funds collected during each quarter. The employees then vote on which nonprofits will receive their contributions. Employees have donated more than $240,000 since the program began in 2018.

“Casual for a Cause is a great way for us as employees to make meaningful contributions to the causes we are passionate about,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “While the nonprofit organizations selected are diverse in the services they provide and the projects they champion, they share a common goal, and that is to create a better quality of life for our communities. It is our honor and pleasure to assist them with their efforts.”

Maine recipients of Q2 2023 Donations also include:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick is a full-service youth mentoring organization that matches adult and teen mentors to children ages 6-18, primarily from single-parent and low-income households. Mentors provide friendship, support, and guidance during the child’s critical childhood and adolescent years. Learn more about Big Brother Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick at www.bbbsbathbrunswick.org.

“We are thrilled to be the chosen nonprofit for the Casual for a Cause donation from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees,” said Carol Marquis, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick. “This donation will be put to work immediately to match Littles and support the families we serve. Thank you to Bar Harbor Bank & Trust for this amazing gift and all you do for our community!”

Down East Family YMCA works to build strong communities, families, and individuals by fostering respect and promoting a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. The Bank’s donation will support the organization’s camps, which are designed to provide campers with a variety of activities to help nurture an awareness of their physical surroundings as well as self-discovery. Learn more about Down East Family YMCA at www.defymca.org.

“The generosity of the staff at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust allows us to provide crucial assistance to the children and families that need it most,” said Matthew Johns, Director of Development at Down East Family YMCA. “We could not be more thankful for not only the leadership team at the bank, but for each and every employee who is committed to helping those we serve.”

Mount Desert Island YMCA works to develop community, character, personal growth in wellness and spirit, mind and body for the greater MDI community. The Bank’s donation will support scholarships for children with limited means so they can attend Camp Cadillac, the organization’s summer day camp for children in preschool through 5^th grade. Learn more about Mount Desert Island YMCA at www.mdiymca.org. 

“On behalf of the families and children in the Mount Desert Island community, we are grateful to receive the donations garnered from BHBT's employee-led Casual for a Cause fundraising,” said Ann Tikkanen, Executive Director of Mount Desert Island YMCA. “The trust, faith (and funds!) that BHBT employees put in our community Y for summer camp and all-important swim lessons for children, allows us to continue to strengthen the quality of life for everyone.”