FLEETWOOD BANK RAISES NEARLY $8,000 FOR LOCAL CHARITIES
Annual Community Gift Basket Bingo Run by Employees Raises Record Breaking Amount for Three Local Nonprofits
Fleetwood Bank recently hosted their Ninth Annual Community Gift Basket Bingo on Sunday, November 19 at the Fleetwood Grange. Every year, employees of the only bank headquartered in Berks County come together to volunteer their time to raise funds for three nonprofits within our community. The three chosen nonprofits rotate each year to help spread the wealth, but the Bank has always donated 100% of proceeds evenly among the three charities selected.
This year’s fundraiser Bingo raised more money than ever before thanks to the nearly 75 generous Fleetwood Bank customers, employees, local businesses and organizations. A total of $7,951.33 was raised and will be donated evenly to the following local nonprofits: Olivet Boys and Girls Club, the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, and CONCERN, the bank’s neighboring organization who is celebrating its 45th Anniversary this year. The Bank sold out of all 175 tickets prior to the event, which included 20 regular games of bingo, four specials valued at over $500 total, and over 50 raffle baskets and door prizes for lucky winners to enjoy. Additionally, employees and their friends and family members made baked goods to sell to raise additional funds throughout the event.
Last year’s fundraiser was also a success after a two-year break in 2020 and 2021 thanks to the pandemic, with $6,650.39 raised for local organizations. The Bank has a goal of raising $10K to celebrate its tenth annual Bingo next November, and those looking to be part of this good cause are encouraged to follow the bank’s social media pages to stay in the know for more information on how to get involved next year.
“As community bankers and the only bank headquartered in Berks County, we have and always will be committed to making meaningful differences in our local community,” said Timothy Snyder, CEO and President of Fleetwood Bank. “One of the ways we do this is through this annual event. No other bank has employees voluntarily taking the time to put something of this magnitude together to raise money for our community’s many deserving nonprofits, and year after year this event is a success thanks to our generous customers, local businesses, and employees.”
The portion of proceeds from the Bingo donated to Olivet Boys and Girls Club went directly towards Clinton Street Club’s new Homework Center and Computer Lab. “The value of this check covers the cost spent to make this happen for our Clinton kids,” explains Shawn Stankiewicz, the Clinton Site Director.
Olivet Boys & Girls Club was one of the original 50 organizations that banded together with like youth groups from across the country to form what become Boys & Girls Club of America. Their club is a chartered member of the Boys & Girls Club of America and incorporates many of the national organizations’ tested youth development programs into their own program lineup. For most of the club’s history, they had two units in two neighborhoods – Clinton Street and Mulberry Street. During the 1990s, the Club expanded into several new areas of the city. Olivet currently operates seven satellite locations across Reading, along with Blue Mountain Camp in Hamburg, PA. Their program serves over 3,000 youth annual and addresses the region’s most pressing and immediate youth issues of education support, after school programming, and mentoring. They promote Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Good Character & Citizenship. To reach and serve as many youths as possible, their programs and services are available during non-school hours and during the summer at free of greatly reduced costs. Learn more at olivetbgc.org.
The funds raised and donated to CONCERN by the bank will directly benefit their Behavioral Health Fund. “This program provides support to individuals who are going through a mental health crisis,” explains Tricia Reedy Jones, MPA, Director of Development & Marketing for CONCERN. “In addition to offering counseling services and medication management, CONCERN’s Behavioral Health Fund supports a client’s additional needs, such as providing funding to help with transportation, housing and/or purchasing food.”
CONCERN is a multi-service private nonprofit human services organization that provides services to children, youth, and families encouraging growth and promoting positive, healthy lives. CONCERN’s services include foster care, adoption, and permanency, community-based prevention programs, behavioral health, and residential treatment. The nonprofit began in 1978 as a foster care agency in Fleetwood, PA. Since then, CONCERN continues to meet growing needs in Pennsylvania and Maryland, with 15 sites bringing hope, offering opportunity, and inspiring change to over 7,500 individuals each year. In the last 45 years, this local nonprofit has provided support and services to over 200,000 people, supported 27,000 children in youth and placement services, successfully made 5,000 adoptions happen, helped 70,000 behavioral health clients, and assisted 2,200 residential treatment clients. Learn more at concern4kids.org.
Animal Rescue League of Berks County’s Chief Communications Officer, José Joel Delgado-Rivera, stated: “We are grateful for the support of Fleetwood Bank. Taking care of more than 5,000 animals per year takes a community to accomplish. Donations like this help us keep providing life-saving care and second chances to the animals in need throughout Berks County.”
The Animal Rescue League of Berks County is a charitable organization caring for over 5,000 animals each year to help them find second chances in a new home or to help reunite them with their grateful owners. This organization has been evolving since its establishment in 1952. For 70 years, they’ve worked tirelessly to care for the sick, treat the injured, comfort the unwanted, and protect the abused. They also offer human-animal support resources, low-cost veterinary services, animal control programs, and animal cruelty and humane law investigation throughout Berks County. Their mission is to protect animals, provide a safe haven, and promote innovative programs and services to help both people and animals in need throughout the county. Learn more at berksarl.org.
