Capital Region charities get a boost on Giving Tuesday

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become known as “Giving Tuesday,” encouraging people all over the world to celebrate generosity.

Four Capital Region-based nonprofits received $5,000 grants to help children. The money comes from Pioneer Bancorp, Inc.'s charitable foundation that has a mission of "Helping Kids be Kids."

Representatives from Connect Center for Youth in Albany County, Captain Community Human Services in Saratoga County, Schenectady Community Action Program, and the Brunswick Cares Community Food Pantry attended an event at the Pioneer headquarters in Albany in which the employees who selected these charities as recipients handed out the grants.

With the holidays around the corner, Robert Clarke, board member and treasurer of the Brunswick pantry hopes people will consider adding a charity to their gift shopping.

"We need to get our eyes off of ourselves," Clarke said, "and we need to look at the people and their situations around us and ask yourself, how can we help? How can we make your life better?”

Several other nonprofits received funds secured by Pioneer through the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York's Small Business Recovery Grants program.