Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees recently presented more than $24,000 in donations collected through the Bank’s employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, to nine organizations serving communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, including the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. The Community Loan Fund's Vice President of Investor & Donor Relations, Mark Cheever, accepted the $3,630 donation at the Bar Harbor Bank & Trust's Concord office in July.

Casual for a Cause participants dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a bi-weekly payroll deduction made to a pool of funds collected each quarter. The program participants then vote on which community organizations will receive the funds collected the previous quarter. More than $416,000 has been donated since the program began in 2018.

“Casual for a Cause is a fun a way to for employees, and the Bank, to make a powerful statement each quarter: Our communities truly matter to us,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “My colleagues’ ongoing and enthusiastic generosity, and their commitment to giving together, continues to have a positive impact on nonprofit organizations and the people they serve in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.”

“When individuals and organizations like Bar Harbor Bank & Trust donate to the Community Loan Fund, they’re providing long-term coaching and customized guidance that helps our neighbors realize their American Dream,” said Steve Saltzman, President and CEO of the Community Loan Fund. “Every dollar makes a difference as we continue to work toward a future where all people have access to the resources they need to live prosperous lives.”

(Photo: Bar Harbor Bank & Trust (BHBT) presents a donation from the Bank’s Casual for a Cause program to New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. Pictured from left to right: Maureen Kimball, SVP Senior Wealth Manager at Bar Harbor Wealth Management (BHWM); Krista McCarthy, VP Tax Officer at BHWM; Lauren Mersereau, VP Senior Wealth Manager at BHWM; Mike Justason, Branch Relationship Manager at BHBT; Diane Horvath, Senior Wealth Manager at BHWM; Jane Lamb, Executive Administrative Assistant at BHWM; Michelle White, VP Portfolio Manager at BHWM; Charles Seugling, SVP Regional Market Manager at BHBT; Sarah Simpkins, Philanthropy Engagement Manager at the Community Loan Fund; Mike Woodbury, VP Treasury Services Officer at BHBT; Mark Cheever, VP of Investor & Donor Relations at the Community Loan Fund.)