The Giving Cup is our donation based coffee shop inside our new office. Rather than buying your coffee, you make a donation to one of our nonprofit beneficiaries and as a thank you, you receive a hand crafted drink of your choice. The more you donate, the more “thank you” drinks you receive! Opened in February of 2020, the Giving Cup was closed to walk in traffic due to the pandemic until early 2021, we implemented curbside coffee (there is no drive through as part of the vision was to help facilitate foot traffic into our office) to help keep donations coming. We have now crossed the $15,000 in total donations received with 100% of every donation going back into our community. The donations have been used to help fund many projects and services for our beneficiaries. The elementary school (not a Title 1 school so they don’t receive additional funding) used proceeds during remote learning to help boost their technology to help students, they have also funded an accelerated reading program, as well as providing professional development opportunities for teachers and achievement/recognition programs for their students. The Volunteer Fire Departments (3 split proceeds) use the funds to purchase much needed critical emerency gear. The Children’s Home Society, a foster/adoption service uses donations received to help fund such programs as the Emergency Shelter for runaway or high at risk teens, providing a safe place to stay and needed items like toiletries, etc. They also help fund other programs such as after school programs, educational outreach, and other critical services needed to help fight what has sadly become one of the consequences of opioid abuse in our area, a high level of children entering foster care or care by older relatives. The vision was to find a way we can give back on an ongoing basis to provide support for local nonprofits in our area. We are excited at the potential to add a fourth beneficiary in the coming months as we hope to expand The Giving Cup’s reach. We believe in community service and giving back, and this is just one way Williamstown Bank has stepped up to the plate to help meet needs in our area.
