Rollstone Bank & Trust, through its Charitable Foundation, has pledged $15,000 to the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center (MVOC) in Gardner, a nonprofit organization that supports military veterans and their families in need of services. The donation will help support MVOC’s housing expansion project in Winchendon, which will provide 44 new apartments for veterans.

“RBT has a long history of supporting organizations who fight against housing insecurity in our area,” said Martin F. Connors, Jr., President & CEO of Rollstone Bank & Trust. “Those who served our country should never have to worry about having a roof over their heads. Rollstone is proud to help MVOC in their efforts to improve the lives of our nation’s heroes.”

MVOC helps over 700 veterans annually. In addition to housing, services include mental health support, veterans benefits, food and clothing assistance, and more.

“MVOC is grateful for the strong relationship we have with Rollstone Bank, who has been a supporter of our efforts for many years,” said Stephanie Marchetti, Executive Director of MVOC. “This donation will help ensure that our housing expansion project gets pushed over the finish line- that we’ll be able to not just construct the property, but furnish apartments for veterans who may come with nothing.”

Pictured left to right: Cathy Stallings McWilliams, President and MVOC Founder; Stephanie Marchetti, Executive Director of MVOC; Martin F. Connors, Jr., President & CEO of Rollstone Bank & Trust.

About Rollstone Bank & Trust

At Rollstone Bank & Trust, we deliver personalized service that goes above & beyond. Our dedication to providing our customers with superior bank and wealth management solutions, along with the support they need to prosper at work and at home, has enabled us to build one of the most trusted banks in the region. With branches located throughout central Massachusetts, customers have peace of mind knowing we are FDIC & DIF insured, and never far from home. Rollstone Bank & Trust – it’s where you matter most.

The Fitchburg Parks and Rec Summer Playground Program, supported by a DESE grant, offers a variety of fun and educational activities for children ages 6-12.

United Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) recently distributed $874,325 in grants to 45 agencies across the community. These funds were allocated through two grant programs aimed at tackling regional challenges and providing after-school and out-of-school time opportunities for local children and youth.

In the 2024-25 cycle, UWNCM’s Community Impact Fund awarded $588,335 to 29 agencies, supporting 37 programs in areas such as Early Education, Youth Development, Basic Needs, Economic Opportunity, and Financial Literacy. This funding, distributed in the third year of a four-year cycle, is expected to benefit over 97,000 households, building on a 32% increase in households served from the previous year.

Pathways for Change, Inc received funds for their Sexual Assault Youth Education (SAYE) Program. Kim L. Dawkins, President & CEO, expressed gratitude, stating, “As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!’ We are incredibly grateful to the United Way of North Central Massachusetts for funding the Sexual Assault Youth Education (SAYE) Program. The goal of the SAYE Program is to raise adolescents’ awareness of the incidence and myths about sexual violence and to have a role in building and expanding the resiliency factors and strengths of communities. By working in positive ways toward shared goals with the community, we can have an impact on the root causes of sexual violence.”

UWNCM also recently distributed $285,990 to 16 agencies through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) After School and Out-of-School Time (ASOST) Program. Funds were made available through a $1 million grant awarded by DESE to a regional effort of United Ways located in Central, North Central, and South-Central Massachusetts with the goal of helping after school and out-of-school time programs.

This seventh round of grants will support summer programming, providing diverse experiences from camp to museum visits for youth. In total, UWNCM has distributed nearly $1.6 million in DESE grants to local non-profit organizations, public school systems and towns and municipalities, with an additional round to come.

The City of Fitchburg received a DESE grant to support their Summer Playground Program. James Bunnell, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Fitchburg, says, “The city of Fitchburg Parks and Recreation department is thrilled to be working with the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and the DESE summer grant opportunity for the second year in a row. The summer playground program allows children to attend events and visit various places like the Worcester Bravehearts baseball game, the EcoTarium, and Southwick’s Zoo. Bunnell adds, “We take pride in offering diverse events and opportunities to the community at a nominal or no cost, made possible by the support from the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and DESE.”

“Judy Tomlinson, UWNCM Director of Community Impact, highlighted the significance of the grant programs, saying, ‘These initiatives allow us to empower agencies addressing vital community issues with both tested and novel approaches. Our heartfelt thanks go to our donors, community partners, and volunteers for their unwavering support in offering immediate assistance to those in need and fostering a better future for everyone.”

The United Way of North Central Massachusetts serves the communities of Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Leominster, Littleton, Pepperell, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster and Winchendon.