Sweetser News & Events

Grant Supports Financial Literacy Training for Area Youth

Posted on 08/11/2005 at 09:18 am

The KeyBank Foundation Donates $5,000 to Sweetser

Thanks to a grant from the KeyBank Foundation, young adults living in Sweetser's group homes will receive additional help in making the transition to adulthood and independent living. The KeyBank Foundation donated $5,000 to Sweetser this month to support financial literacy and employment skills training for youth.

The financial literacy and employment skills program is designed to help young adults become prepared for living independently. They will learn skills such as developing and sticking to a budget, establishing a checking account, and saving for future goals such as education or an apartment. They will also develop skills to obtain and maintain jobs in the community.

"KeyBank's giving focuses on supporting organizations that promote financial literacy and economic self-sufficiency," said Kathryn Underwood, president, KeyBank. "Sweetser is an organization that does both, helping to provide a better future for at-risk young adults in our region."

The program will serve young adults living in Sweetser's transitional living program group homes in Kennebunk and Sanford. The youth who are served by this program range in age from 16-21 and are experiencing a mental or behavioral health disorder.

"We have seen far too many cases of young adults becoming homeless because they were not prepared to make it on their own," said Norm Cantara, manager for Sweetser's Transitional Living Program. "This program will provide them with a basic foundation of skills they need to live successfully and independently."

With a history dating back to 1828, Sweetser is Maine's most comprehensive behavioral and mental health care organization dedicated to serving children, adults and families. Sweetser offers services that address emotional disturbances, mental illness, behavioral disorders and learning disabilities through an array of educational programs, preventive services, community-support services and residential homes.

KeyBank N.A. is one of Maine's largest financial services companies with assets of approximately $3.3 billion. Key has one of the largest statewide networks of branches (64) and ATMs (100) and is a leader in community involvement, contributing nearly $1 million to local nonprofit agencies and organizations. A strong proponent for local economic growth, Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, retirement, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally. The company's businesses deliver their products and services through KeyCenters and offices; a network of approximately 2.400 ATMs; telephone banking centers (1.800.KEY2YOU); and a Web site, Key.com, that provides account access and financial products 24 hours a day.

Contact: Heather Chandler, Assistant Director of Communications, 294-4430