$1,925 Outreach Grant Supports City of Manchester’s “Weed & Seed” Initiative

Neighborhood Watch Groups have long played a role in crime prevention, but that’s not all they do for the community. In a large-scale emergency, your neighbor could be the first responder to recommend an evacuation or administer CPR to the injured. A $1,925 grant from St. Mary’s Bank will allow 25 local neighborhood watch members to get the Red Cross training they need to be prepared in such situations.

“In the last five years, watch groups have helped reduce crime and stabilize neighborhoods throughout Manchester,” said Renie Denton, executive director of the Manchester Community Resource Center. “Today, the focus for these groups includes preparedness for personal and property emergencies. We are grateful to St. Mary’s Bank for giving watch group members the opportunity to learn lifesaving skills and become an even greater resource for their neighbors.”

St. Mary’s Bank’s grant, made through the Manchester Community Resource Center, supports the City of Manchester’s “Weed & Seed” program and the Manchester Police Department. “Weed & Seed”, originally a nationwide initiative, seeks to develop safe and thriving neighborhoods by “weeding” out crime and “seeding” in hope and resident involvement. Since 2001, Manchester’s “Weed & Seed” efforts have given rise to over 52 Neighborhood Watch Groups.

“We appreciate the commitment so many volunteers have made on behalf of their neighbors,” said Thomas Champagne, St. Mary’s Bank Director of Community Outreach. “Watch groups are proof positive that local citizens have the power to bring about great changes in our community.”

The grant to support “Weed & Seed” was made by St. Mary’s Bank’s Community Outreach Program, which serves the New Hampshire community through loans and grants to specific organizations and charities. Part of the gift will be used to stock supplies at seven emergency response stations in the city.

About the Manchester Community Resource Center
Manchester Community Resource Center, Inc. is a non-profit organization that helps low-income residents of Manchester to attain self-sufficiency by providing access to employment, education, information and referrals. Programs promote the development of each individual's work-maturity competencies, emotional growth and social development through the acquisition of appropriate skills, knowledge, and attitudes.