MutualOne Foundation Awards $5,000 to Friends of Literacy

MutualOne Charitable Foundation awarded $5,000 to Friends of Literacy Unlimited.

Mark R. Haranas, president and CEO of MutualOne Bank and trustee of the Foundation, announced the award.

Literacy Unlimited is a free program of the Framingham Public Library that trains volunteer tutors to teach adult learners in English as a second language, citizenship, and GED preparation, as well as reading, writing and math for English speakers.

The Foundation’s award will support the program’s Life Resource Project, an initiative to collect information of topics of practical concern to students, such as how to get a driver’s license, pass the citizenship test, register a child for school, get health care, find housing, and prepare their taxes. The Project will organize information in a way that is easily accessible to Literacy Unlimited staff for offering assistance to tutors and students.

“Teaching local residents who have limited English skills how to manage their lives successfully is a critical step in building a stronger community,” said Haranas in a press release. “We are pleased to support Friends of Literacy in their efforts to help make that happen.”

The grant to Friends of Literacy Unlimited was among the 19 awards made in the Foundation’s most recent round of funding, which totaled nearly $93,000.

The MutualOne Charitable Foundation is a continuation of the Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation following the 2012 merger of Framingham Co-operative Bank and Natick Federal Savings Bank.

Since it was originally established in 1998, the Foundation has donated over $2.3 million to charitable, educational, and civic initiatives that improve and enhance the quality of life in Framingham, Natick, and surrounding communities.