Skip to main content
Enter search terms below…

Member News

Pioneer’s Grand Carnival Welcomes 1,000 Attendees, Raises More Than $40,000 to Support Nonprofits ‘Helping Kids be Kids’



Pioneer Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBFS) (“Pioneer”), a leading financial institution in New York’s Capital Region, today hosted more than 1,000 children and families at Pioneer Plaza for its fourth annual Grand Carnival, a day of family-friendly games, activities, food and fun that raised more than $40,000 to help children in need throughout local communities.

The signature event conducted by the Pioneer Charitable Foundation, the Grand Carnival has now raised more than $115,000 in total over four years. All funds go to support area nonprofit organizations that serve the health and welfare of children, in line with the foundation’s mission of “Helping Kids be Kids.”

Seeing children and families enjoying time together at our Grand Carnival is always inspiring. Knowing that the money we raise is ‘Helping Kids be Kids’ is priceless,” said Pioneer President and CEO Tom Amell. “My hat is off to the outstanding team at Pioneer for their passion, enthusiasm, and commitment to enhancing lives and enriching communities in the Capital Region.”

Held under a large tent at Pioneer Plaza in Colonie, NY, the event featured a host of carnival games and a variety of activities including face painting, pumpkin painting, sand art, caricatures and balloon animals. Children and families also attended magic shows, a Kids’ Dance Contest was held, and radio station B95.5 FM provided entertainment.

Established in 2018, the Pioneer Charitable Foundation has provided more than $1.2 million in financial support to nearly 400 Capital Region nonprofits that address the critical needs of children, from housing, nutrition, and health care to educational, social and recreational opportunities.  Together with financial support, Pioneer’s employees have volunteered well over 10,000 hours, and they are actively involved in selecting organizations to receive funding. 

“The Grand Carnival is truly a labor of love for our caring and dedicated team at Pioneer,” said Susan Hollister, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and Co-Chair of the Pioneer Charitable Foundation. “We’re delighted to bring families together for a fun-filled day, and privileged to raise money that supports children in need in our local communities.”  

The Premier Sponsor of Pioneer’s Grand Carnival was Pediatric Dental Group. Entertainment Sponsors were DePaula Auto Group, Harris Beach PLLC, Hodgson Russ LLP, and Janitronics Facility Services. Cookie Truck Sponsor was Earl B. Feiden Appliance. Game & Activity Sponsors included Belmonte Builders, Bond Schoeneck & King Attorneys, DLA Piper, Green Facility Solution, Keeler Motor Car Company, Northwestern Mutual, Platform Management, StickerMule and Tech Valley DryWall Inc. “Helping Kids be Kids” Sponsors were Bette Companies, DLC Electric LLC, Dwight Plumbing and Heating, Goldstein Auto Group, Holbrook Lumber Co., Joseph P. Mangione Inc., Mackey Electric Inc., Marcella's Appliance Center, Milliman Inc. and R.F. Peck Company.

To learn more about the Pioneer Charitable Foundation, and to make a secure online donation, visit www.pioneerny.com/community.

On July 30th, we celebrated the graduates of the twelve week English program which took place at the New Hope Church in Albany. Pastor Bea Cardona of the New Hope Church in Albany identified a need for English instruction among the Spanish speaking churchgoers and reached out to LVORC for help. Three groups were formed and each have met to gain…
Community Resource Federal Credit Union (CRFCU) is excited to announce its recent relationship with LPL Financial*, a Fortune 500 company and the leading provider of investment products and services to banks and credit unions across the nation**. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for CRFCU and reinforces the credit union’s…
Albany, NY – Berkshire Bank, a leading community bank with financial centers in New England and New York, welcomes Rob Nichols as SVP, Business Banking Team Leader. Nichols joins Berkshire with over 33 years in commercial banking.      At Berkshire Bank, Nichols will lead the sales team for business banking within Central and Eastern New York,…
Sep
26
A panel discussion featuring State representatives addressing issues facing our communities. The Chamber's "Meet The Legislators" event provides members…
Breakfast 8:30am-9am; Q&A 9am-10am
Oct
03
When you're growing your business or getting ready to take on a new opportunity, there are many funding options available to you. Which one is the best…
Webinar starts at 10am
Oct
17
Get connected, develop leads and build relationships at our one-of-a-kind, fast-paced networking event. The Chamber’s networking events are a high-impact…
Check-In and Luncheon 12pm; Networking 12:30-1:30pm