East Cambridge Savings Bank president and chief executive officer Gilda M. Nogueira presented a $5,000 donation to the Somerville Homeless Coalition from the Bank’s charitable foundation. The Somerville Homeless Coalition is a not-for-profit organization that provides service and support to individuals and families that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Founded in Somerville in 1985, the organization provides resources and case management for nearly 2,500 people, over 800 of whom are children.
“The Somerville Homeless Coalition does critical work and focuses their efforts on a population that is often overlooked and ignored,” said Nogueira. “While the local economy is strong and we see rapid growth in Somerville, there are still too many residents who are homeless or face difficulties that could put them at risk of being without a safe place to live. The Somerville Homeless Coalition has never lost sight of those members of society and we are proud to support their mission.”
Mark Alston-Follansbee, Somerville Homeless Coalition executive director, reflected on the donation’s impact on the organization’s many programs. “Preventing and reducing homelessness requires a continuum of services including early invention, rapid re-housing, and follow-up through case management. Support from the East Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation enables us to continue to help the most vulnerable among us in the Somerville area who depend on these services,” Alston-Follansbee stated.
In addition to the support from the Bank’s charitable foundation, East Cambridge Savings Bank employees participate in the annual Somerville Homeless Coalition golf tournament and attend the “Under the Roof” dinner fundraiser; scheduled for April 7 at the Somerville Arts at the Amory. Also, the Bank’s chief risk officer, Gisela Margotta, has served on the organizations board of directors since 2010.
The East Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation supports over 30 organizations in the cities and towns the Bank serves and provides scholarships to local high school seniors.