Florence Bank Gives $7,500 Grant to Harmony House

FLORENCE — Florence Bank has pledged $7,500 to the Harmony House of Chicopee to help fund a renovation and expansion that will allow the nonprofit to improve services and care for more terminally ill individuals who live alone or lack a capable caregiver.

Harmony House is currently fundraising to cover the cost of the $600,000 home renovation. It recently broke ground on a permanent and much larger home in the Aldenville section of Chicopee on Dec. 5.

The mission at Harmony House is to provide compassionate care for terminally ill individuals facing the end of their lives alone in a comfortable, loving, home-like environment. It is dedicated to maintaining the honor and dignity of each resident during the final stages of life.

Staffed mainly by volunteers — from nurses to caregivers and companions — Harmony House provides 24-hour assistance with all aspects of care, including companionship, personal care, socialization, and meals. It is privately funded through the generosity of individuals, businesses, and foundations.

“We are pleased to be able to contribute to this worthy organization that meets the needs of some of our most vulnerable community members,” said Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr.

Florence Bank is a mutually held bank, which means its accountability is with customers and not stockholders. With no quarterly dividends to pay, the bank can focus on decisions that are good for customers, staff, and those in the wider community.

“Because we are an independent bank, we can be exceptionally good neighbors in the Pioneer Valley,” Heaps said. “We are free to be philanthropic — a path we’ve followed for years and intend to continue on into the future.”