Commitment to Community

John J. Sullivan Scholarship Fund

VP/CRA Officer Coley Carden and VP Laurie Leahy present a $10,000 donation to Ted Lamson of the Winchester Scholarship Foundation for the John J. Sullivan Scholarship Fund (www.winchestersf.org).  Please join us in honoring John’s life of service to the Winchester Community.

WCB sponsors the annual Festival of Life at the Jenks Center!

Winchester Co-operative Bank sponsored and participated in the annual Festival of Life event at the Jenks Center.

The Festival of Life was held at the Jenks in Winchester on December 14th with a follow-up drive-by event on Wednesday. The Jenks bus also visited homebound seniors to make them a part of the celebration. Lunch, singing and merriment made for a wonderful celebration!

Pictured: Upper left; Jason Erwin, WCB Loan Originator, Sue Clark, Jenks Transportation Coordinator. Upper right; the Jenks staff and WHS Chorus. Lower left; Laurie Leahy, WCB Lending VP, Vicki Drougas, Jenks Administrative Secretary; Phillip Beltz, Jenks Director; Patty Santos, Jenks Senior Clerk, and Jason Erwin.

WCB employees celebrate with a Holiday Zoom!

Winchester Co-operative Bank employees recently had a virtual holiday celebration that included WCB’s 1^st gingerbread house decorating contest. This team building event brought many laughs and lots of creativity! We also enjoyed a secret gift exchange, sing-a-long and raised our WCB hot chocolate mugs in holiday cheer!

Despite these continually challenging times, we hope you can enjoy holiday traditions, both existing and/or newly created, with your friends and family!

Donate to the Salvation Army ‘s 2021 Red Kettle Campaign

Please join Winchester Co-operative Bank in supporting the Salvation Army’s 2021 Red Kettle Campaign and their “Hope Marches On” initiative. By donating, you will brighten the holidays with food and gift assistance, provide emergency meals for those living in hunger, and provide lodging to shelter the homeless.

The Bank will again match contributions made to the counter kettles in our branches through December 24^th. Any and all donations will help and are greatly appreciated.

Shop local with Winchester’s 1st annual Holiday Stroll!

Winchester Co-operative Bank is a proud sponsor of the Winchester Chamber of Commerce’s 1^st annual Holiday Stroll!

Kick off your weekend with some shopping and dining in downtown Winchester. Giveaways, holiday events and promotions are happening until December 22^nd so shop local and join us in helping support local businesses. For more information on the Red Ticket Raffle, a list of events, or more details visit www.Winchesterchamber.com.

Come celebrate the holiday season with WCB!

To celebrate the holiday season, Santa will be visiting our Winchester branch each Saturday in December leading up to Christmas. Come by to get your picture taken with Santa and receive a bag of goodies!

Both our Winchester and Woburn branches will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for the Toys for Local Children charity and also collecting donations for the annual Mission of Deeds Buy-a-Bed program. Donation boxes are available at each branch. Please consider donating to one or both of these charities to help make the holiday season a little brighter for families in need!

Council of Social Concern Holiday Food Drive

Winchester Co-operative Bank participated with the Council of Social Concern in their annual Holiday Food Drive. We collected food donations at both our Winchester and Woburn branches to help families in need during the holiday season.

We appreciate the generous contributions of our WCB employees and customers!

Pictured L to R: Eve Gately, Council of Social Concern and Jason Erwin, WCB Mortgage Loan Originator

WCB donated to the North Suburban YMCA

Winchester Co-operative Bank has donated $5,000 to the North Suburban YMCA to support the John Metcalf Veteran’s Road Race. Donations allow the YMCA to provide veterans and their families with access to much needed programs. Funds are also raised to support YMCA youth program scholarships for low-income families in need of affordable access to childcare, youth sports, and exercise programs.

Pictured: Linda Kelley, AVP/WCB Woburn Branch Manager; Donny Bautz, Executive Director, North Suburban YMCA; Coley Carden, WCB VP/CRA Officer.

WCB donates to Just a Start

Winchester Co-operative Bank has donated $10,000 to Just A Start for its programs that provide affordable housing, career training and comprehensive support services. "Winchester Co-operative Bank's generous contribution allows Just A Start to expand access to affordable housing, keep individuals and families in their homes, and prepare youth and adults with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce," said Carl Nagy-Koechlin, Executive Director at Just A Start. "Together, with the continued support of our partners like Winchester Co-operative Bank, we’re creating equitable communities in Cambridge and beyond.”

Pictured L to R:

Coley Carden, VP & CRA Officer, WCB; Carl Nagy-Koechlin, Executive Director, Just A Start; Carmen Chan, Director of Philanthropy, Just A Start

WCB donates to HCA

Winchester Co-operative Bank (“WCB”) has donated $10,000 to the Housing Corporation of Arlington (“HCA”) to support their mission to provide affordable housing for low and moderate income families.

Jeff Katz, Interim Executive Director at the Housing Corporation of Arlington said, “We are so grateful for the support of the Winchester Co-operative Bank. The Housing Corporation of Arlington has provided safe, affordable housing to hundreds of people in our community and our Homeless Prevention Program has helped thousands of people avoid the unspeakable stress of being homeless. None of this work would be possible without the support of partners and friends like the Winchester Co-operative Bank.”

(Pictured L to R): Coley Carden, VP & CRA Officer, Winchester Co-operative Bank; Jeff Katz, Interim Executive Director, Housing Corporation of Arlington

Congratulations David and Karen!

WCB congratulates both David Lipinski, Retail Supervisor and Karen Doucette, Teller on receiving the Bank’s “Co-operative Banker” awards last quarter. Both have gone above and beyond in providing excellent service to our customers. Thank you David and Karen for your hard work!

WCB supports the Winchester Got Lunch event

Winchester Co-operative Bank was a proud supporter of the recent Winchester Got Lunch (WGL) event by supplying the tent for WGL’s outside concert. WGL provides lunch during the summer for students who rely on subsidized meals throughout the school year.

WCB celebrates Winchester Town Day!

We were happy to see so many of you at the petting zoo and at our WCB table this past Saturday. Thank you for stopping by to say hello!

Pictured top row (l to r): Mark Kellett, President & CEO, his wife Deborah and their grandchildren. Saida Idouahmane, Retail AVP, and Fran Wang, Accounting.

Pictured lower row (l to r): Animal Adventures and Derek, an employee’s son, helping with the T-shirt giveaways.

WCB Sponsors Concerts on the Common

Winchester Co-operative Bank was proud to support the Concerts on the Common this summer. It was great to see everyone enjoying the concert performed by the band SIX. We hope you and your family have a happy and safe rest of the summer!

WCB is a proud sponsor of Authorfest

WCB is a proud sponsor of Authorfest, a valuable event brought by Winchester Foundation for Education Excellence (WFEE) that encourages students to develop a love of reading and illustration. This year, Authorfest sessions were conducted virtually throughout January.

Caren Connelly, Executive Director of WFEE said, “Winchester’s students and educators were so excited that Authorfest went virtual! Missing this community tradition in a year full of loss would have been very hard. Thank you so much to the Winchester Co-operative Bank for providing the funding that allowed us to keep this tradition alive!

Matt de la Peña, (pictured) a NY Times Bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning author will be conducting the last session with WHS students.

WCB sponsors Winchester Together event

Winchester Co-operative Bank (WCB) will be sponsoring in partnership with Winchester Together, a free hot chocolate event on Wednesday, February 3, from 12-2 pm in front of Frozen Hoagies. WCB is proud to be a supporter of Winchester Together, a community based initiative to offer acts of kindness to all generations of Winchester residents and our local essential workers. Come by on the 3^rd and grab a hot chocolate on us!

WCB sponsors Parent to Parent webinar

Winchester Co-operative Bank (WCB) is a proud supporter of Parent to Parent. WCB is sponsoring the Thursday, February 4^th at 7:30 p.m. zoom session on “Helping your Teens and Tweens Safely Navigate Social Media.” Dr. Englander (pictured above), a nationally recognized expert on cyberbullying, will share her research on teenage cell phone use. Visit Parent to Parent’s website for more information and to preregister.

WCB sponsored the first Winchester Together event

Winchester Co-operative Bank (WCB) sponsored a free hot chocolate event in partnership with Winchester Together. It was great to see so many of you at the food truck in front of Frozen Hoagies!

WCB supports the local Salvation Army

WCB once again matches local Salvation Army Kettle drive contributions. We contributed an additional $5,000 to The Salvation Army, more than doubling the amount contributed to the locally sponsored 2020 Kettle drive. “With less red kettles in our communities, this holiday season looked very different for The Salvation Army,” said Major Marcus Jugenheimer, General Secretary, The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division. “We are so grateful for partners like Winchester Co-operative Bank for continuing to step up to help our struggling neighbors in their greatest times of need. Because of their generous support, we were able to serve up to 155% more people this holiday season.”

Salvation Army’s 2020 Red Kettle Campaign

Please join WCB in supporting the Salvation Army’s 2020 Red Kettle Campaign and their effort to “Help Rescue Christmas” for millions in need. The Bank will again match contributions made to the counter kettles in our branches through December 24th and to the WCB Virtual Kettle, that match being up to a total of $5,000. Virtual donations can be made at https://give.salvationarmy.org/wcb.

WCB Toy Drive

During the 2020 holiday season, WCB partnered with the Watertown Police and Fire Departments and the Woburn Fire Department to serve as drop-off locations for gifts to be donated to children. In our Winchester branch, toys were collected in support of the Whooley Foundation, founded in the memory of John Whooley, a Watertown Police Officer, whose mission was to make less fortunate children happier during the holiday season. In our Woburn branch, the St. Anthony Club - Toys for Local Kids drive, supports families in need who without the toy drive would not be able to provide their children with a gift for the holidays. Thank you to our WCB team and our customers for making the holiday merrier for children in need!

WCB Sponsors the Jenks Center Festival of Life

Winchester Co-operative Bank sponsored and participated in the Jenks Festival of Life event held on Wednesday, December 9th. The Festival of Life is an annual intergenerational holiday event where the Winchester High School chorus singers celebrate the holidays with seniors and recognize meaningful contributions we all provide to our community. Due to Covid-19, this year’s event was re-created, following public heath guidelines, by offering a drive-by tote filled with festive treats that were given out at the Jenks parking lot or delivered to homebound seniors.

Phillip Beltz, the Director at the Jenks Center said, “The Jenks Center community is eternally grateful for the WCB and WHS students for their meaningful work in continuing the Festival of Life tradition despite the impact of Covid-19”.

WCB Annual Holiday Toy Drive

WCB is once again holding its Annual Holiday Toy Drive in support of the Whooley Foundation and St. Anthony’s Club. Please consider donating a toy that will be given to children in need for the holidays. You can drop off new and unwrapped toys at either our Winchester or Woburn branch before December 19^th. The Season will be merrier through your generosity!

Message from Santa

Santa has informed us that he will be unable to visit WCB this year for photos as he focuses on keeping himself and all his helpers healthy for Christmas deliveries.  He sends his best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year!

Winchester Co-operative Bank Annual Holiday Food Drive

During the month of November, the Winchester Co-operative Bank participated with the Council of Social Concern in their annual Holiday Food Drive.  We collected food donations at both our Winchester and Woburn branches to help families in need during the holidays. We appreciate the generosity of our WCB team and our loyal customers.

Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign

The WCB community has a generous history of supporting the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign.  The WCB team will not be able to ring bells this year but we encourage you to continue the tradition of support.  The Bank will again match contributions made to the counter kettles in our offices up to December 24^th.  This year WCB will include contributions made to the WCB Virtual Kettle in that match up to a total of $5,000.  Please join us in support the Salvation Army’s 2020 Red Kettle Campaign and their effort to “Help Rescue Christmas” for millions in need. Virtual donations can be made at https://give.salvationarmy.org/wcb.

Winchester Co-operative Bank Donates to JAS

Winchester Co-operative Bank has donated $10,000 to Just-A-Start Corporation in its mission to provide affordable housing for low and moderate income families and assist with education and workforce training programs.  Carl Nagy-Koechlin, Executive Director, Just-A-Start said, “We're grateful to have Winchester
Co-operative Bank's continued support as we work to create access to stable housing and build pathways to economic opportunity," said Carl Nagy-Koechlin, Just-A-Start's Executive Director. "Together, we can help more people in our communities to achieve a strong economic foundation for themselves and their families."  

Housing Corporation of Arlington Donation

Winchester Co-operative Bank (“WCB”) has donated $10,000 to the Housing Corporation of Arlington (“HCA”) in its mission to provide affordable housing for low and moderate income families in Arlington and its surrounding communities.  The contribution of WCB assists HCA in building a portfolio of rental units and offering financial support to stabilize housing in jeopardy as a result of COVID-19’s impact.

Pamela Hallett, Executive Director at the HCA said, “WCB has been a loyal supporter of HCA.  Their support helps as we have doubled our affordable housing rental portfolio to 150 units.  We are so grateful for their continued trust in our work!”

WCB Donates to the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc.

WCB employees held a food drive to collect food for the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc., an independent food bank currently serving over 100 feeding programs throughout Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

WCB also presented a donation check to Deb Callery, Assistant Executive Director of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, who said, “We value our community partnerships with organizations like Winchester Co-operative Bank and the support they provide. Without these partnerships we would struggle to meet the needs of those we serve especially during the unprecedented time we find ourselves living in. With help from the community we can continue to feed 65,000+ individuals in our region.”

01890 Bingo!

WCB is sponsoring the Winchester Chamber of Commerce “Shop 01890 BINGO” campaign. Stop by your local Winchester businesses and play some BINGO. It’s easy to play! Just make a purchase, dine or visit WCB and mark the corresponding box. Bingo cards are available at WCB branches or visit www.winchesterchamber.com.

Congratulations on Retirement!

Congratulations to two of our WCB employees who are retiring this month!

Maryanne Barron, who has been with WCB close to 25 years, and Diane Delaney, who has been with WCB 20 years are retiring in July. Both Maryanne and Diane will always be remembered for their years of hard work and dedication to our team. We thank them for their service and congratulate them on their retirement!

Now you can pay with your phone!

Now you can pay with your phone!

WCB now offers Digital Wallets: Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, and Samsung Pay™. This is a convenient way to complete a contactless transaction with a tap or wave of your phone! It’s simple to get started. Open your device’s digital wallet and simply follow the on-screen prompts to add your WCB debit card. No more touching point-of-sale terminals or digging for your wallet.

Look for the digital app logo when checking out at the store! Just hold your phone near the credit card reader to transmit your card information. You’ll also be able to use your digital wallet for online and in-app purchases.

Digital Wallet is a contactless, safe and secure way to conduct a transaction, feel free to give it a try!

Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day!

We wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the dedicated fathers in our community. WCB is dedicated to serving others, so in your honor we continue to make donations to help non-profit organizations that aid seniors, families, and individuals in need of food and housing assistance.

Also, thank you to all of our customers for your continued support as we adapt our services to best assist you.

Winchester Farmers Market

The Winchester Farmers Market season begins on Saturday, June 13 at a new location at the Winchester Town Hall Parking Lot. WCB is proud to sponsor the Winchester Farmers Market again this year as well as make a donation to the Anna LaViolette Matching SNAP Fund.

WFEE annual Road Race

WCB is happy to continue its support of Winchester’s education foundation, WFEE. WFEE’s annual Road Race has gone virtual! Sign up to run at www.wfee.org – you can do your Race anytime between June 11 and June 20. Stay apart, stay safe and have your mask!

Happy Mother's Day

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we won't be able to give our customers Mother's Day flowers as we have in the past. Instead, in your honor we made donations to local non-profit organizations serving those affected by the pandemic - seniors, families, and individuals in need of food and housing assistance. Thank you to all of our customers for your patience in these challenging times.

WCB Employees Make a Difference

WCB Employees Make a Difference.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an increase in need for food assistance for families who are facing joblessness and hunger. Council of Social Concern, which runs a local food pantry that serves Woburn and Winchester residents, has seen the number of clients they serve increase by over 50%. WCB employees held a food drive to collect food for those in need and delivered our collection to Social Concern this week. Please support Council of Social Concern https://www.socialconcern.org or any food assistance programs, your donation can make a difference.

Paycheck Protection Program

WCB is proud to support our small business communities.

Our lending team has been working hard to process Small Business Association (SBA) loan applications under the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). We are pleased to have obtained approval for all of the applications submitted. Thank you to all of our customers for your support and patience during this unprecedented time.

Bread of Life donation

WCB donated $10,000 to Bread of Life’s “Under One Roof Capital Campaign” to help build a new facility where all services can be provided in one building: kitchen, food pantries, and a resource multi-service community hall. As part of the building project, 14 units of permanent affordable apartments for formerly homeless individuals and veterans will be built.

Buy-a-Bed Campaign

Winchester Co-operative Bank participated in the annual Buy-a-Bed campaign. Between the donations from customers and employees and a Bank match, WCB presented a check to the Mission of Deeds of $2,846. Bruce Murison, Executive Director from Mission of Deeds, said, “Winchester Co-operative Bank has been supporting Mission of Deeds ever since Tony Triglione founded the charity in 1993. For the Bank and its customers to continue to raise so much money all these years later shows the generosity and community spirit of Winchester Co-operative and its customers. We and the families we help are grateful.”

Council of Aging

Winchester Co-operative Bank donated to the Council of Aging to help support the transportation program that assists seniors on trips to the grocery store, religious services, and medical appointments. Tom Howley, Chairperson Council on Aging, said, “Transportation is a critical need for Winchester seniors and Winchester Co-operative Bank’s generous funding support enables the COA to provide many transportation opportunities to vulnerable citizens. We are eternally grateful for their financial assistance.”

Salvation Army Kettle Drive

WCB once again matches local Salvation Army Kettle drive contributions. We contributed an additional $5,000 to The Salvation Army, more than doubling the amount contributed by the local community toward the 2019 Kettle drive.

“Each year we are reminded that many individuals and families are struggling just for the basic necessities,” said Major Marcus Jugenheimer, General Secretary, The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division. “Thanks to the generous support of the community and Winchester Co-operative Bank, we are able to help meet the anticipated needs of our neighbors in need in 2020.