Flushing Bank announced grants to support multiple New York City nonprofit organizations which will help form scholarships for local students and support first-time home buyers and affordable housing assistance programs.
At the new Flushing Bank location at 85-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst, community leaders and bank officials came together to celebrate the various grant donations. Flushing Bank gave $15,000 to the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program, which will support kindergarten students at P.S. 110Q and kickstart their savings.
John R. Buran, president and CEO of Flushing Bank, said that NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program drives economic opportunity by reinforcing college and career expectations.
“We are excited to expand our presence in the diverse, multicultural markets of Queens, further developing relationships with the residents and businesses that comprise this vibrant community,” Buran said.
NYC Kids RISE starts savings accounts for kindergartners across the five boroughs, regardless of family income or immigration status. Students start with an initial input of $100 in their accounts.
Ernestina Ramos, the mother of P.S. 110Q kindergarten student Maya Muñoz, said that the Save for College Program helps her start saving for her daughter’s education.
“My daughter Maya dreams of being a doctor when she grows up and we have wanted to start saving money for her. The Save for College Program incentivizes us to think about the future of our kids now,” Ramos said. “We are thankful to see Flushing Bank supporting my child and her classmates through the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program, which gives us the tools and motivation to start saving together, bit by bit.”
Flushing Bank also donated to the Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens, which will use the funding to further help families through the process of buying their first home.
“Having a place to call home is the foundation for a great start for any family or individual. Having a home brings families together and gives them a sense of place and pride,” said Yoselin Genao Estrella, executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC Inc. “Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens, will be able to help the people and families of Queens to make the dream of owning a home a reality.”
