Litchfield Bancorp recently presented the United Way of Northwest Connecticut with a restricted gift of $2,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, according to William A. Egan, III, United Way Executive Director.

Egan said, “Under the terms of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston New England Partnerships program, Litchfield Bancorp has directed their grant and matching gift to the Northwest Connecticut YMCA’s Transitional Housing Program.

Litchfield Bancorp president Mark Macomber said, “We are pleased to partner with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston in funding this grant. The FHLB of Boston currently provides well over $35 billion in loans to its member banks throughout New England, including Litchfield Bancorp. These funds are then deployed in our communities, primarily to fund mortgage loans to our customers. Providing some relief for individuals and families in need of temporary shelter just seemed to align with the FHLB’s mission and our own. We greatly appreciate the roles the United Way and the Northwest Connecticut YMCA play in bettering the communities we serve.”

The Grants for New England Partnerships program (GNP) was established by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to recognize the partnership between member institutions and community-based nonprofit organizations.

Litchfield Bancorp became eligible for participation in the program when it submitted and disbursed a Community Development Advance application for the first time in 2009 and actively participated in the struggle to promote foreclosure awareness while offering programs to families and organizations that are in the midst of foreclosure or are looking to return properties to the housing stock.

The GNP program was established by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to recognize the importance of partnerships between member institutions and community-based nonprofit organizations in developing successful community investment initiatives. Litchfield Bancorp chose this award for the United Way of Northwest Connecticut on behalf of the Northwest Connecticut YMCA because of its important work in the community.

Greg Brisco, Northwestern Connecticut YMCA CEO, said, ““We couldn’t be more excited to receive this gift from Litchfield Bancorp and the Federal Home Loan Program. It couldn’t have come at a better time. The state budget challenges have resulted in reduced funding for our Winchester Emergency Homeless Shelter and, in these times, we have more demand for individuals and families needing a place to sleep at night than we have beds for.”

Pictured left to right are:

Thomas Villanova, Executive Vice President, Litchfield Bancorp

Greg Brisco, CEO, Northwestern Connecticut YMCA

Sabrina Smeltz, Associate Executive Director, Northwestern CT YMCA

Mark Macomber, President, Litchfield Bancorp

Theo Noell, Manager of Programs & Outreach, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston