Bank grants benefit abused children, adult work force

“It was a wonderful surprise,” said Connie Sgarlata, director of Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland, which counsels sexually abused children, adult survivors and victims of domestic violence.

“We haven’t decided yet how we will use it, but our clients often need transportation assistance, and with gas prices so high, we could use some help,” she said.

As grants from state and federal governments decrease or plateau, nonprofits often turn to private grants to supplement their incomes.

“We struggle a lot for funding, because it’s more [organizations] competing for fewer dollars,” said Suzanne Savage, clinical supervisor for Family and Children’s Services.

Community Banks, which recently merged with Bucs Federal Bank, presented grants this week worth $1,000 each to Family and Children’s Services, United Way and Wellness Employee Service Transfer Inc., an agency that aims to keep the work force healthy and off welfare.

“This keeps the doors open for a few months,” said Amy Scott, a WEST volunteer.

“Workplace wellness builds the economy,” said Esther Davis, founder of WEST, which began in Towson and Baltimore City seven years ago to help workers struggling with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and ill family members obtain or retain their jobs.

WEST’s grant could pay for visits to high schools for student job training, for businesses to teach employers how to destress their employees or to aid non-college-bound teens in their quest to find employment.

With Maryland spending $35,000 a year on each child in its care, “we save the state a lot of money” by helping young adults land jobs, Davis said.

Herbert Moltzan, who became regional president of Community Banks after it merged with Bucs Federal Bank, said banks strive to be corporate citizens.

“Banks, especially community banks, are the cornerstone of the financial area, so it just stands to reason that we would give back,” he said.

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com