The Arrow Financial Corp. has committed $75,000 to 20 health and human service organizations in the area to show its “gratitude for their important work during these challenging times.”
As part of a Month of Thanks campaign, the Arrow group—which includes Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co.—is reaching out to community partners from Albany to Plattsburgh with the goal of supporting their efforts around food insecurity, child care, affordable housing, emergency assistance, mental health, domestic violence prevention, workforce development and youth services, according to a news release.
“As a community bank, we recognize the important work that our nonprofits perform to lift up our neighbors and get them through hard times,” said Arrow Financial Corp. President and CEO Thomas Murphy.
Saratoga Springs Launches Grant Program To Help Businesses Retain Low-Income Workers
The City of Saratoga Springs Office of Community Development has launched a COVID 19 Small Business Grant (SBG) program for local businesses.
SBG, administered locally by the city Office of Community Development, is funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
All applicants must agree to federal program requirements.
Officials said SBG serves to preserve jobs held by low-income employees who would otherwise be lost due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city can provide relief to small businesses through the provision of 25 to 51 grants of $ 5,000-$10,000 in working capital.
Grant funds may be utilized in a variety of creative ways in order to support the small business, generate income, and ultimately preserve the jobs of low income employees, officials said. These uses may include, but are not limited to: payroll, rent or mortgage payments, utilities, purchase/rental of equipment to facilitate the outdoor conduct of business during winter months, purchase and installation of items and equipment that reduce risk of coronavirus transmission.
Low income is defined as adjusted-gross yearly wages of $33,950 or less, as evidenced by the employer’s most recent payroll records.
Applicants must employ less than 50 people and be able to demonstrate extreme financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sufficient documentation must be provided to indicate that the jobs to be retained would be lost without SBG support.
‘Luzerne Productions’ Video Company Works With Nonprofits To Help With Fundraising
Newkey Media
by Andrea Harwood Palmer
“We do a lot of work for nonprofits,” said Bob English, who owns and operates Luzerne Productions, a video production company he opened in 2002.
“It’s such a necessary part of service. For nonprofits, especially right now with the COVID-19 problem, fundraising is a challenge. Everyone needs to raise money.”
He believes his company can help in that regard.
Luzerne Productions is responsible for many videos shown at area nonprofit fundraisers every year. Most recently they produced a fundraising video for Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
“What usually happens with annual fundraisers is: You get everybody in a room with some cocktails and food, you tell them about your service,” said English. “Then you show them a nice video and people say, ‘Wow, I wanna help’ because the people there are altruistic anyway or they wouldn’t be there to begin with. A video at a fundraiser is great because you have a captive audience. You show a video for 2-3 minutes, and if they’re wiping away a tear when you turn the lights back on, then I’ve done my job. That’s how I know I’ve been successful.”
With COVID-19, people can’t congregate in person.