Giving Back

 

 

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At HB Financial Group, we believe in giving back to our community. Below are some of the local charities that we regularly support.

 

Habitat for Humanity believes that every man, woman, and child should have a decent, safe, and affordable place to live. They build and repair houses all over the world using volunteer labor and donations. Their partner families purchase these houses through no-profit, no-interest mortgage loans or innovative financing methods. 

 

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County has been providing one-to-one mentoring relationships to local children in need of positive adult influence and friendship since 1975. Supervised by a staff of professional case coordinators, volunteers spend time weekly with a child for at least one year developing a positive, trusting, and enriching friendship. A special person, such as a “big brother” or “big sister,” can often be the one factor that can change the destiny of a child’s life, providing the resources and encouragement to become a productive and healthy adult. 

 

Family Outreach of Amherst supports and assists the most vulnerable members of our community by working with families that struggle with mental health, trauma, medical, substance abuse, and life skills issues. The organization believes that although clients may struggle with these issues, they are still experts in their own lives. By providing advocacy and case management support, FOA not only ensures that families receive services so that their basic needs are met but also helps families identify ways to make their lives better. 
 

 

The American Red Cross exists to provide compassionate care to those in need. Its network of generous donors, volunteers, and employees share a mission of preventing and relieving suffering, here at home and around the world, through five key service areas: Disaster Relief, Supporting America’s Military Families, Lifesaving Blood, Health and Safety Services, and International Services.

 

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society provides shelter, education, advocacy, and assistance for animals and people in need. Dakin is a private, nonprofit organization serving the communities of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. Many of its programs also serve animals and people in Worcester and Berkshire counties, as well as northern Connecticut. It does not receive any government funding nor is it funded or operated by any national humane organization. It relies solely on contributions from individuals who care about animals to bring its services to the community. Dakin also depends on the dedication of more than 500 volunteers who work alongside their staff members to help them care for animals, deliver their programs, and govern their organization.

 

 

The Amherst Survival Center is a regional resource that strives to provide food, health, clothing, and community through volunteer efforts. Since 1976, the Amherst Survival Center has promoted the health and wellbeing of residents of Franklin and Hampshire counties with a wide variety of programs designed to help people meet their basic needs.

 

 

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has been striving to prevent and alleviate hunger in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts since 1982. In our region, approximately one in every eight people suffers from chronic food shortages or needs emergency food assistance. As a food bank, it responds to immediate and emergency hunger through its core food distribution programs. It partners with more than 300 local food pantries, meal sites, shelters, residential programs, and youth and elder care centers to bring around 7.6 million pounds of food to more than 135,000 people facing hunger across the diverse urban and rural communities in Western Massachusetts each year.

 

 

In addition to giving back to local charities, HB Financial Group supports Commonwealth and its endeavors with Commonwealth Cares. Commonwealth Cares is an ongoing program supporting the following charities:

Feeding America’s Hungry Children
Commonwealth’s annual Thanksgiving card to advisors and industry partners commemorates our regular contribution to this worthy group, which collects and distributes surplus food to children in need.

 

Oxfam America
Another beneficiary of Commonwealth’s annual Thanksgiving gift program, Oxfam America has long received our support in its efforts to relieve poverty, hunger, and social injustice.

 

Waste Not
This innovative program rescues excess perishable food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to hunger relief organizations. In addition to our monetary donation, Commonwealth advisors, industry partners, home office staff, and guests provided hands-on help during a break from the 2010 National Conference in Phoenix.

 

Doctors Without Borders
Commonwealth Cares provides financial support for this group’s humanitarian efforts throughout the world—most recently to aid victims of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

 

American Red Cross
Commonwealth Cares has contributed to the Red Cross’s tireless efforts to help victims of such disasters as the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and Hurricane Katrina.

 

Calling All Crows
This musician-founded group deploys a three-pronged strategy to create sustainable change for women around the world: humanitarian aid, volunteerism, and issue-based advocacy. Commonwealth Cares contributions support the group’s efforts in Sudan and Afghanistan, as well as across North America and Europe.

 

National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH)
Commonwealth Cares contributes to local fundraising efforts for NOAH, a group dedicated to helping people with albinism and related conditions. Through education, medical research, and support programs, NOAH seeks to improve diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for those living with the condition and their families.

 

Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC)
Since 1980, PMC’s annual bike-a-thon across Massachusetts has raised a total of $300 million in the fight against cancer. Commonwealth Cares is proud to support PMC, which directs 100 percent of funds raised to lifesaving cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

 

Habitat for Humanity
Commonwealth Cares supports Habitat in its mission to provide low-income families with decent, safe, and affordable housing. In addition to monetary donations, Commonwealth advisors, industry partners, home office staff, and guests have provided hands-on construction help in cities where Commonwealth conferences have been held.

 

Half the Sky
Donations from Commonwealth Cares help support this innovative group's mission of turning oppression into opportunity for half the world’s population. Through Half the Sky, disadvantaged women and girls around the globe receive education and economic aid to help them overcome poverty, extremism, and gender-based abuse and subjugation.

 

PLGA Foundation
The PLGA Foundation is dedicated to helping children suffering from pediatric low-grade astrocytoma—the most common form of childhood brain tumor. Through monetary donations and support for local fundraising efforts, Commonwealth Cares is proud to assist this group, which donates 100 percent of funds raised to education and research for a cure and more effective treatment.