North Shore Bank employees recently raised $1,000 to benefit Ma Duke’s annual Thanksgiving Day dinner for those who are less fortunate, homeless, or maybe just don’t’ have a place to go for the holiday.
The proceeds were given by bank employees through their weekly “Jeans Day” program, which was started in 2015 and has contributed over $55,000 to local charities and non-profits. In exchange for $5 each week, the bank’s staff is allowed to wear jeans to work on Fridays with the funds collected, pooled, and then donated to an area charity nominated by a bank employee.
Recognizing a need, especially around the holidays, Debby Marticio (or Ma Duke as she’s known to family and friends) along with 300 volunteers serve delicious home cooked meals each Thanksgiving. This year Marticio anticipates the total number of meals requested could reach almost 3,000, which includes dinner for those impacted by the Merrimack Valley gas explosion earlier this year.
Recently, Jodi Houghton, the Sales and Service Manager of North Shore Bank’s Danvers Branch visited Ma Duke to deliver their Jeans Day donation to help defray the dinner costs.
Houghton said:
We just think it’s a great what Debby does for the community, and we wanted to be a part of it.” She went on to say, “Our Jeans Day program is set up for exactly this purpose, to help the less fortunate in the cities and towns that we serve.
Marticio said of North Shore Bank’s donation:
We are so thankful for the support of North Shore Bank and its employees. It is so special to see a community come together to help make the holiday a little better for so many people.” She continued, “Without these types of donations it would be very difficult to provide our meal each year.