Al Ahmed, senior vice president of retail, was featured in this Worcester Business Journal article talking about the future of paper currency.

Read the article here.

March 9 event will inform business owners of grant opportunities.

Cornerstone Bank is co-hosting an informative question and answer event with the Charlton Economic Development Commission and the Town Administrator to promote active business grant opportunities in the town. The event will be held on March 9, 2022, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Cornerstone’s Charlton Branch at 2 Center Depot Road. The Town of Charlton is offering COVID-19 relief grants up to $20,000 for current businesses and nonprofits in the town or those looking to move to Charlton. This current grant cycle deadline is March 31, 2022.

Guest speakers at the Charlton Business Grant Q&A will include Andrew M. Golas, Charlton Town Administrator, and Josh Saper, Chairperson, Charlton Economic Development Commission. They will explain the grant application process, answer questions and provide updates on economic development advances and opportunities in Charlton.

“As a community bank, we have a commitment to the people and businesses in our neighborhood,” said Todd Tallman, CEO of Cornerstone Bank. “These grants will provide an important boost to businesses in Charlton We hope this Q&A will help people access resources to help their business succeed.” The event also offers a great chance for local business owners to network; light refreshments will be served. To learn more or register, call Sabrina Webb at 800-939-9103, ext. 71300, by March 4, 2022.

Cornerstone Bank, Spencer, Massachusetts, has petitioned the Massachusetts Division of Banks, for permission to close the following branches. Any objections or comments relative to this proposal must be communicated in writing to the Commissioner of Banks, Mary L. Gallagher, 1000 Washington Street, 10^th Floor, Boston Massachusetts 02118-6400 no later than two weeks from January 26, 2022.

• 968 Main Street, Warren MA 01083
• 72 West Main Street, Route 9 West (Fair Plaza), Spencer, MA 01562

Donations include $40,000 to Worcester Community Action Council and $10,000 to Worcester County Food Bank

Cornerstone Bank has donated $50,000 to two Worcester County charitable organizations: $40,000 to the Worcester Community Action Council and $10,000 to the Worcester County Food Bank. The two groups are dedicated to improving quality of life by ending poverty and food insecurity throughout the region, respectively.

“Both of these organizations share our deep commitment to the wellbeing of residents throughout Central Massachusetts, which is why we are supporting them with these significant donations,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “They are each providing the underserved residents of Worcester County with the essentials they need to survive and succeed during a difficult time.”

The Worcester Community Action Council is one of 23 community action agencies in Massachusetts with the mission of helping people toward economic self-sufficiency through programs, partnerships and advocacy. To break the cycle of poverty for tens of thousands of people annually, WCAC helps to provide opportunities for energy assistance, early education and care, financial empowerment, positive youth development, and career pathways.

The Worcester County Foodbank is dedicated to engaging and educating the region in creating a hunger-free community through partnerships with donors and volunteers, as well as business and community leaders. Last year, their network of 115 local pantries and programs helped to distribute nearly 6.1 million pounds of donated food to 75,000 people across 60 Worcester County communities.

“As a community bank, we live and work in Central Massachusetts, which is why we are committed to supporting these causes that improve the quality of life for those around us,” continued Tallman. “We are honored to work alongside both these charitable organizations and look forward to the good that will come from these donations.”

Donation of $2,500 will go towards providing adults English language skills

Cornerstone Bank has donated $2,500 to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester to support its mission to provide adults with the English language skills they need to thrive. For 48 years, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester has been providing one-to-one and small group English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) tutoring as well as literacy tutoring, and in recent years, adding online tutoring and independent learning.  

“In the greater Worcester area, 34% of households speak a language other than English at home,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester are doing amazing things by providing free ESOL education to adults within our community. The leadership, vision, and dedication of the Board of Directors are key to the organization’s success in serving constituents in the Worcester area. We are proud that members of our team volunteer their time for this organization and we support their goals any way we can.”

In just the past year, more than 100 volunteers and 12 part-time specialized ESOL teachers dedicated their time to helping 382 literacy students and more than 100 tutoring students learn to read, write and speak the English language. These students are immigrants and refugees representing 52 different countries and speaking 38 different languages.

“The free, flexible, and individualized support students get leads them in the right direction to achieve goals beyond English language proficiency including citizenship, employment, and further education,” continued Tallman. “We look forward to seeing Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester continue to create opportunities for people looking to succeed in our community.”

Cornerstone Bank will celebrate reopening its Worcester branch located at 70 West Boylston Street, on Saturday, October 9. The event, which will unveil new renovations, will be held from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. with family-friendly activities and an official ribbon cutting at noon.

“We are excited to celebrate this newly remodeled branch with our community,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “This renovation represents our ongoing commitment to serve the banking and financial needs of our neighborhood. We welcome our friends and customers to come by with their families to see our beautifully renovated branch and enjoy face painting, balloon artist, ice cream and giveaways.”

The community is invited to attend and enjoy refreshments and activities for the whole family.

Cornerstone Bank will host a reopening celebration for its Sturbridge branch located at 200 Charlton Road, Route 20, on Saturday, October 2. The event, which will unveil new renovations, will be held from 10:00 am.–1:00 pm with an official ribbon cutting at noon.

“We are excited to celebrate this newly remodeled branch with our community,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “We invite customers and our community to stop by with their family for games, food, and entertainment. Come check out our renovated branch, which has been elevated with a more modern and functional design for our staff and more importantly our customers. I look forward to seeing you there.”

The public is welcome to attend and enjoy fun for the whole family including a bounce house, face painting, ice cream truck, balloon artist, games, giveaways, and more.

Cornerstone Bank has been named as an honoree in the Boston Business Journal’s 2021 Corporate Citizenship Awards, a recognition of the region's top corporate charitable contributors. The Business Journal annually publishes this list to showcase companies that promote and prioritize giving back to their communities.

“We are honored to have been recognized for our charitable contributions throughout 2020,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Our giving efforts last year included nearly $400,000 in donations to local organizations. This included funds to purchase PPE for Harrington HealthCare System, donations to three local United Way chapters, the Worcester County Food Bank and the Worcester Community Action Council, 16 scholarships to graduating seniors and many more.”

This year, only 98 companies qualified for the distinction by reporting at least $100,000 in contributions to Massachusetts-based charities last year. The honorees this year include companies from such industry sectors as financial and professional services, health care, technology, retail and professional sports.

“During a year filled with unprecedented events and change, it’s incredible to think that so many companies, as represented by those on the Boston Business Journal’s Corporate Charitable Contributors list, still gave so generously to charities in Massachusetts,” said Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher Carolyn Jones. “These companies give back at least $100,000 to the local community, and now we are in a time when giving back and helping one another is more important than ever. The philanthropic companies prioritize the welfare of our communities, and we are excited to be able to honor them.”

Cornerstone Bank and other honorees will be celebrated at the Boston Business Journal’s 16th Annual Corporate Citizenship Awards on September 9, a commemoration of honorees that will be virtual to ensure everyone’s health and safety.

“With the hardships many faced in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was more important than ever for us to continue to find ways to give back,” continued Tallman. “Despite restrictions on gatherings, in-person events and other traditional opportunities for volunteering, we were still able to help better our own backyard, a commitment we will continue to pursue in 2021 and in the future.”