Nancy Huntington Stager
Over the past 27 years, charitable giving has been a hallmark of Eastern Bank’s work. That’s when the Boston-based financial institution launched its philanthropic foundation as a way to make a deeper impact on the communities it serves.
“Our foundation has always been tied in closely with our communities, throughout Eastern Bank’s footprint, in supporting a number of great organizations doing wonderful work on the ground,” said President and CEO of the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation Nancy Huntington Stager.
Over the past 15 years, Eastern Bank has generously supported our mission to ensure all on Cape Cod and the Islands have access to safe, stable housing. Since 2018, it has stepped up that support, serving as an Annual Corporate Sponsor of Housing Assistance.
Last year, the foundation bolstered its efforts by giving an additional $50,000 grant that went to our Workforce Housing Relief Fund to ensure households impacted by the pandemic that don’t qualify for public funding have the financial assistance they needed to stay housed.
One of the foundation’s funding priorities is safe, affordable housing. Our work in preventing evictions, preventing foreclosures, developing affordable housing, and connecting people to stable housing, Stager said, aligns perfectly with this priority.
“The work that you do on the Cape is tremendous and unfortunately is very needed,” she said. “This is why our foundation was set up – to help our neighbors who really need it. …Every funder wants to have a meaningful impact. When you have partners like Housing Assistance, you know it is going to the right place and it is going to help the people you’re trying to reach. There’s no better feeling than that.”
Why We Give: Workforce Housing Relief Fund
Even before the pandemic hit, a number of households on Cape Cod and the Islands who did not qualify for public assistance were living paycheck to paycheck. The events of the past year have shined a light on that problem as many have fallen behind on their rent and mortgage as a result of losing jobs and income.
For that reason, we launched the Workforce Housing Relief Fund last spring to assist individuals and families who were struggling to stay housed at a time when they needed a home for their health and safety.
“We know there’s a lot of people out of work because of the pandemic,” said Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation President and CEO Nancy Huntington Stager. “And so much of the Cape is based on tourism and hospitality, there are a lot of folks who need support right now. Housing Assistance was able to step up and create this fund and use it to be able to help people stay in their homes or help them get into secure housing. We’re really happy to help something that was targeted and focused on the people who really need it.”
