A new grassroots fundraising campaign aims to help empower residents in economically challenged city neighborhoods. It's called “Progress In Action,” and it's an initiative started by Five Star Bank.
Five Star Bank Chief Experience and Go To Market Officer Joe Dugan says they'll be launching the program at the Lilac Festival, and through a partnership with the United Way, people can donate through a mobile app. Dugan says he believes people will help others for the betterment of the entire community.
“I truly believe as all neighbors get to understand the level of some of our neighbors need, they will contribute," he said.
Dugan says this initiative is crowdsourcing, hopefully, at its finest.
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren says this will enable neighborhood associations to have direct access to funds for beautification efforts.
“Sometimes it's a planter on a street corner, or banners or repairing a playground,” she said. “And to go through the regulations and the process that we have to go through, this gives them direct and immediate access to dollars that can be invested right away.”
Emma Morrison, president of the Unity Northeast Block Club Neighborhood Association, says this will help her organization with many of its events, including its "Harvest Fest" during Thanksgiving week.
“There are families, there are students, and there's adults, on Thursday morning, Thanksgiving…they don't have a place to sit down and eat,” she said.
Five Star will match each dollar donated to "Progress In Action," up to $50,000, with a minimum commitment of $25,000.
Mayor Warren says many of the city's neighborhood associations are in need of support and resources and “Progress In Action” will help:
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