Company Notebook
MSB Announces $15,000 in Donations in 2023 Community Giving Initiative
MONSON — The people have voted, and the results are in for the Monson Savings Bank (MSB) 2023 Community Giving Initiative. In late 2022, MSB asked its community members to cast a vote for their nonprofit organizations of choice, and nearly 6,000 votes were submitted. This was the 13th year of the Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative, and the public’s excitement to cast their vote has grown throughout the years. In total, 400 organizations were nominated to receive a donation. Monson Savings Bank is donating a total of $15,000 among the top 10 vote recipients. Monetary donations are one of the many ways the local bank stays true to its longstanding mission of supporting local communities. The 2023 Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative recipients are I Found Light Against All Odds, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Alex Cotton Memorial Fund, and Women’s Empowerment Scholarship, Springfield; Wilbraham United Players, Wilbraham Friends of Recreation, Rick’s Place, and Scantic Valley YMCA, Wilbraham; Link to Libraries Inc., Hampden; and Monson Free Library, Monson.
Berkshire Bank Named Among Best Midsize Employers by Forbes
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank was recognized on the Forbes magazine list of America’s Best Midsize Employers 2023. This award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., a statistics portal and industry-ranking provider. The awards list was announced on Feb. 15 and can be viewed at forbes.com. Berkshire Bank is the only Massachusetts-based bank, and one of four banks in New England and New York, on the midsized employer banking and financial services list. Forbes and Statista selected the America’s Best Employers 2023 through an independent survey applied to a sample of approximately 45,000 American employees working for companies with more than 1,000 employees in America. Across 25 industry sectors, 1,000 employers have been awarded: 500 large employers and 500 midsize employers. The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees that were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employee evaluations also included other employers in their respective industries that stood out either positively or negatively.
Ocean State Job Lot Partners with Customers on Earthquake Relief
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL), a leading discount closeout retailer headquartered in Rhode Island with stores throughout New England, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, recently donated and coordinated the shipment of essential supplies to help those impacted by the deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. More than 40,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured. OSJL partnered with its customers to donate more than $1 million in supplies, sending more than 35 types of items, including tents, blankets, coats, sweaters, socks, and health and hygiene products such as sanitizers, soap, and alcohol wipes. The items were shipped to Syria and Turkey, leveraging OSJL’s broad transportation network. All of the donated supplies were purchased at cost, in part through donations made by customers at each OSJL store to the 501(c)(3) Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation to support the relief efforts. Monetary donations are still being accepted in-store and online at www.oceanstatejoblot.com/crisis-and-natural-disaster-relief-program.
