Financial group donates $50k to Habitat for Humanity, works at Cambria Terrace
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
First Niagara employees Susan Hernandez and Lindsay Schaub discuss how to paint a ceiling without dripping. Wednesday was Schaub’s first time painting a ceiling.
COATESVILLE – First Niagara Financial Group announced a $50,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity on Wednesday.
The donation is the second installment of a six-year plan that will total $300,000 in donations by 2017.
The day also saw First Niagara employees helping Habitat for Humanity construct homes in the Cambria Terrace community.
Between caulking, painting, installing doorknobs, and the many other tasks needed to construct a house, the experience was anything but another day at the office for the 20 First Niagara employees.
In a somewhat surreal atmosphere, First Niagara and Habitat employees discussed the benefits of credit lines on financial assets as well as the best techniques for rolling paint.
“I’ve been doing windows, woodwork, doorknobs, moving dryers — it’s whatever needs to get done,” Susan Hernandez said while painting a garage ceiling.
Doreen Schafer finishes up a caulk line. Schafer earned the nickname “Doreen the Machine” because of her prowess with the caulking gun.
Doreen Schafer, who was most excited about driving a truck from site to site, said that First Niagara’s volunteer programs allow employees to socialize away from work while also giving back to the community.
“It’s for a good cause; you’re building a house for people who couldn’t afford it,” she said.
A key partner to First Niagara, Habitat for Humanity has been building affordable houses in Chester County for 24 years.
“First Niagara is so proud of our relationship with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that is doing great work to enhance communities and neighborhoods here in Chester County,” First Niagara Eastern Pennsylvania Regional President Robert Kane said in a press statement.
Since it began two years ago, the partnership between the companies has resulted in 17 homes and will total 45 by 2017.
