Second group joins partnership with TD Bank Affinity Program

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Raising funds for the Health Services Foundation has been a never-ending task for its executive director Elizabeth Dulin.
    Fortunately, the Foundation will now have a little bit of help from TD Bank, through its Affinity Program.
    “The Foundation has another wonderful avenue to raise money for the vital health care needs of our communities,” said Elizabeth Dulin, executive director for HSF. “It is our hope that those in the communities we serve will consider becoming a member of this program as in doing so monies can be raised for the Foundation in support of area healthcare provider needs.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
NEWEST MEMBER — The Health Services Foundation became the second non-profit group to join TD Bank’s Affinity Program. Going over the paperwork are, from left, John Tribou, bank store manager; Elizabeth Dulin, Foundation executive director; and Margaret Cook, customer service representative.
    TD Bank’s Affinity Program was recently launched in the Houlton area as a tool to help non-profit groups collect money for their causes by partnering with the bank. When a group joins the program, it must then solicit other TD Bank customers to become partners in their cause. If groups are able to get enough individuals, either business or residential customers, to join their cause, the bank will then make an annual contribution to the non-profit group based on the average balance of the customers’ accounts.
    The Foundation is the second non-profit group to join the partnership program. Last month, the Southern Aroostook Cultural Arts program became the first to join.
    As part of the requirement of membership, the Foundation must now get 50 TD Bank customers to sign onto their cause, which comes with no obligation to the customer, in order to take full advantage of the program.
    Margaret Cook, customer service representative for Houlton’s T.D. Bank branch, explained the bank partners with the non-profit group to walk them through the steps to becoming a member. Each year, the non-profit group will receive a check from TD Bank, as long as the program remains in existence. At a minimum, the group will receive $500, but that amount can go significantly higher based on the account balances of its members.
    “TD Bank will make an annual contribution to the Foundation based on the average balance of all tagged TD Bank Affinity Program accounts,” Dulin said. “We just need folks to stop by a TD Bank Branch and open an account, checking, savings, money market, CD and retirement accounts are all included in the program. Also, good news is if you are already an existing TD Bank customer, just visit TD Bank and ask to have your balances coded as part of the Foundation’s Affinity Membership Program,” Dulin said.
    The TD Bank Affinity Membership Program is designed to help the growth of non-profit organizations at no cost to its members or supporters, and in the case of the Foundation will provide another vital way to bring funding to our providers so they may continue their work in providing “Excellence in Healthcare” to all those they serve.
    “TD Bank has been a long standing supporter of the Foundation and we appreciate this new way of further being of assistance to us,” Dulin added.
    The Foundation will not receive any information from TD Bank regarding a person’s account balances or any other personal information. The program is run solely through TD Bank and is an opportunity for members of the community to take part in helping the group with its endeavors to bring the best possible health care.
    For more information, contact Dulin at 521-2147 or e-mail at hsfedulin@pwless.net.