ChoiceOne Bank is pleased to support Oakland HOPE Food Pantry & Thrift Store and commit to a financial and educational partnership.
Oakland HOPE provides free groceries, including meat, dairy, eggs, cheese, fruit, and veggies to thousands of Oakland County families, seniors, and veterans. With suburban poverty increasing in Oakland County, food insecurity has become the fastest growing problem for poverty-stricken families. The Food Pantry is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 3 pm. No appointment is necessary.
“As the local community bank, it has always been our philosophy that healthy communities start with healthy families,” said ChoiceOne President Michael J. Burke, Jr. “We have focused on helping the families in our communities with the resources and educational opportunities they need to succeed, with food insecurity being a priority today. Oakland HOPE satisfies these immediate needs for families as well as those needs vital to their future like financial literacy.”
ChoiceOne check presentation from left: Bill Ballard, Board Member, Oakland Hope; Erin Lowe, AVP, Branch Manager, ChoiceOne; Celeste Spivey, VP, Community Development & CRA Officer, ChoiceOne; Liz McVety, AVP, Branch Manager, ChoiceOne; Norma J. Okonski, Founder & Executive Director, Oakland HOPE; Danielle Chateauvert, VP, Marketing, ChoiceOne; Mark Peterson, VP, Commercial Lending, ChoiceOne.
ChoiceOne made a financial commitment of $10,000 to Oakland HOPE with a donation of $5,000 for 2021 and $5,000 for 2022. ChoiceOne will also assist with Monthly Financial Education Empowerment Workshops to the Oakland HOPE community as well as initiate new business opportunities and open checking and savings accounts for staff and clients. Workshops will include budgeting and saving, credit and identity theft.
“We are excited to partner with ChoiceOne, a lender with heart and a commitment to the community,” said Oakland HOPE Founder & Executive Director Norma J. Okonski. “This financial banking initiative and financial education will help those who’ve never had a bank account begin to bank, build their credit and create future independence.”
About Oakland HOPE
Oakland HOPE is the largest Food Pantry in Oakland County providing FREE groceries to thousands of families, seniors, and veterans each month. Oakland HOPE is a faith-based, nonprofit organization that also operates a Thrift Store as a funding mechanism where families, friends and co-workers volunteer and unite around a common goal – help provide FREE groceries to hungry families. For more information see https://www.oaklandhope.org/.