North Mill Equipment Finance raised $20,000 in charitable contributions during the 2023 holiday season. The proceeds will be distributed to Future 5, a platform that supports under-resourced high school students in Stamford, CT, and Lucky Dog Refuge, a retreat for dogs in dire need of care.

“The contribution from NMEF will help empower young men and women who are less fortunate to graduate high school and devise a life plan,” Amanda Dubois-Mwake, executive director and CEO of Future 5, said. “We follow our members through the next phase of their lives, be it college, trade school or the military, and prepare them to become productive members of the workforce. When companies like North Mill hire one of our members, they can rest assured that the new employee understands that hard work and commitment are ingredients for success.”

North Mill’s mission to allocate the people and time necessary to devise a charitable program is to give back to the communities in which the business operates. Two North Mill employees (Kristin Coster, CLFP, vice president of operational risk, and Pierina Silvestre, CLFP, assistant vice president and business analyst), are spearheading the initiative.

“When we announced our charities in December, there was a genuine sense of excitement that swept through the company as so many of our colleagues jumped at the chance to donate and help spread the word,” Silvestre said. “Many of our referral agents participated and offered their support. We cannot thank them enough for helping us to help those in need. They truly define what it means to be a ‘partner.’”

“We have so much more on the docket for the year ahead,” Coster said. “We plan to be more hands-on with the organizations and to research other charities across the country for opportunities to involve all the NMEF offices.”

For example, later this year, the duo plans to support college students by creating a set of mock interviews in preparation for a genuine setting.