Success Stories

Big news for book lovers! bankESB is giving back to the community in a big way—by donating its building at 52 main street in Easthampton to the Easthampton Public Library.

This gift will help the library expand its programming, create more space for learning, creativity, and connection.

bankESB president and CEO Matthew S. Sosik says when he and the bankESB board of directors heard of the library’s need for additional space downtown, it was a “no-brainer” for bankESB to support the library in its mission to further unlock the potential of the Easthampton community and its residents.

A new chapter is beginning for the library, and we can’t wait to see how the community benefits!

In 2024, bankESB’s annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraiser raised $28,000 for local food pantries, bringing the four-year total to $137,000!

Thanks to the generosity of our customers, employees, and community members, all donations made in November were matched dollar-for-dollar, by bankESB, as part of the bank’s charitable program, The Giving Tree.

bankESB President and CEO Matthew S. Sosik says he’s proud of this annual giving tradition. “Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a great example of how we can enhance everyone’s quality of life if we work to solve our biggest problems—together.”

A big thank you to everyone who helped support families facing food insecurity this holiday season.

For bankESB, giving back to the community is all about enhancing quality of life.

That’s why bankESB and its employees recently made donations to the United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region. Employees pledged over $15,000 of their own funds in the bank’s United Way workplace campaign. Combined with the bank’s dollar-for-dollar match and additional corporate contribution, the total donation is $50,000. The campaign lets employees donate and direct funds, advocating for causes that are most important to them.

“United Way certainly helps to improve the quality of life for our friends and neighbors,” said bankESB President and CEO Matthew S. Sosik. “bankESB and our employees are proud to support the organization because, together, we can help people in our communities unlock their full potential.”

As a long-time contributor, the bank and its employees have donated over $740,000 to United Way organizations in Western Massachusetts in the last 13 years.

bankESB recently donated $3,000 to the Longmeadow Educational Endowment Fund, Inc. to support their Gala.

This contribution will help fund innovative educational programs and opportunities for Longmeadow students.

“We support the Longmeadow Educational Endowment Fund and their mission to enhance educational opportunities for local students,” said matt Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB. “We believe that investing in education strengthens our communities, and we’re honored to contribute to the success of their Gala and the programs it helps fund.”

bankESB is proud to invest in the future of local schools—because strong communities start with strong education.

It’s not often you get to preserve a piece of history and support the arts at the same time. But that’s exactly what bankESB’s pledge of $150,000 to CitySpace is doing.

CitySpace is the nonprofit arts organization tasked with overseeing the restoration and management of the Easthampton Old Town Hall into a center for the arts for the city of Easthampton and western Massachusetts.

In 2006, CitySpace embarked on an effort to create affordable space for arts organizations under one roof in Easthampton’s Main Street historic district. Now, CitySpace is raising funds to convert the unused second-floor hall into a flexible, accessible 350-seat performing arts and community space for performances, concerts, and community events. Renovations also will include a new box office, elevator, entryway, theatrical lighting, and sound and projection systems.

bankESB President and CEO Matthew S. Sosik hopes the bank’s support encourages others in the local business community to support the project and help CitySpace bring it closer to fruition.

“The Old Town Hall is an iconic building in downtown Easthampton, and CitySpace’s efforts will help ensure it remains an important and vibrant part of the arts culture and economic development within our community,” Matt said. “We’re pleased to make this considerable commitment toward its preservation and welcome others to support CitySpace’s efforts in helping realize Old Town Hall’s full potential.”

“We are honored by the immense gratitude of Old Town Hall’s neighbor, bankESB, for their leading generosity and vision for the future of our community,” said CitySpace President Burns Maxey. “Their confidence in this project fortifies the path for CitySpace to revive Old Town Hall as an arts hub and economic driver for Easthampton and the region.”

Access to quality medical care is something we all count on.

That’s why bankESB recently made a $500,000 challenge grant to Transforming Emergency Care: Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department, a $26 million expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation effort to allow the hospital to meet the growing emergency medicine needs of everyone in the community, from infants to older adults. And this past summer, the hospital announced that our challenge grant had far exceeded original expectations, raising a total of more than $1.9 million!

“Every great community needs a great hospital. And Cooley Dickinson continues to do an amazing job treating our friends, family, and neighbors who live and work in our communities,” said bankESB President and CEO Matthew S. Sosik. “bankESB is pleased to do its part in supporting Cooley Dickinson and its efforts to transform its Emergency Department into one that can unlock its full potential.”

According to Cooley Dickinson, its Emergency Department is 40% undersized to meet the community’s needs. The number of patients visiting the department has doubled—from 17,000 in the 1970s to nearly 34,000 in recent years. Renovations are expected to break ground in 2024.

“The Emergency Department is in essence our front door and often patients and their families who come in for care are at their most vulnerable,” notes Dr. Lynnette Watkins, President and COO of Cooley Dickinson Hospital. “It’s important for us to provide a safe, warm, welcoming environment to every patient, and this campaign will help ensure that we can.”

“We rely on great community partners, like bankESB, who give so generously in support of the care that we provide every day,” added Lynnette.

With this donation, the bank will have given more than $1 million to Cooley Dickinson over the past decade to help support the hospital’s expanded care, including a new unified cancer center, The Breast Center, and other initiatives.