SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Feb. 04, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Town and Country Financial Corporation (OTC Pink:TWCF), the parent holding company for Town and Country Bank (“TCB”), with the help of an online, community vote, has selected four individuals who will each receive a $2,500 grant to help overcome hardship and start the New Year a little more comfortably. TCB’s ‘Your Need, Their Voice, Our Help’ campaign invited area residents to share stories of how the available grants could make a big impact on their lives.
TCB will host the winners for a check presentation event on Wednesday, February 15, from Noon to 2 p.m., at the Town and Country Bank branch located at 1645 State Highway 121, Mt. Zion, Illinois.
The four winners selected by community vote are Decatur residents Sandra Lee, Greg Scharf, Kathy Bledsoe and Nadia Hines. Their stories helped draw attention to the struggle many face to meet basic needs including food, shelter and healthcare.
Sandra Lee lost her husband in 2014 after a long battle with diabetes and kidney failure. He had always taken care of the handy-man projects around the home, and since he’s passed, the projects have piled up. Lee shared, “Homeowners insurance won’t cover the leaky roof and the money will really come in handy to fix leaks, as well as a number of other projects. It’s been very difficult on my own and I’m trying to provide a safe environment for my daughter and three grandchildren as well.”
Nadia Hines shared a powerful story to help her mother secure resources to finish her education. “She is only two classes away from finishing her Bachelors’ Degree. This money is such a relief. Now there are no more roadblocks standing in her way. We are so proud of what she has been able to accomplish and thankful to Town and Country Bank for relieving the financial stress so she can finish what she started,” said Hines.
Hines’ mother stayed home for more than 20 years to raise her family. She is recently divorced. Hines said her mother always put the needs of her children ahead of her own, including her education. Hines’ mother will graduate in May with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Kathy Bledsoe’s 16-year-old daughter is recovering from a traumatic brain injury that was caused by a car accident. The teen has been in therapy for months and still has at least two more years of therapy ahead. Since submitting the story, Kathy and her family also lost everything to a house fire on New Year's Eve.
Greg Scharf’s life was changed when his child developed a serious medical condition. His 9-year-old son was diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformation, AVM, a rare condition that creates a tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain. Scharf’s son has undergone four surgeries since September and needs physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy twice a day, six days a week.
“We are incredibly thankful. This grant will allow our family to focus on our son’s recovery. It will help alleviate the stress of travel expenses, missed work, and some medical bills,” said Scharf.
TCB has a culture of compassion that focuses on the importance of the people in the communities it serves. This program is a way of giving back and showing solidarity with friends and neighbors in their time of need.
“We believe money should empower people, not hold them back,” said Micah R. Bartlett, President & CEO, Town and Country Bank. “The grants from ‘Your Need, Their Voice, Our Help’ are going to help these individuals take on the challenges in their lives.”
Town and Country Financial Corporation is the parent holding company for Town and Country Bank and Town and Country Banc Mortgage Services, Inc. with offices in Buffalo, Decatur, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Mt. Zion, Springfield, Waverly, White Hall and Quincy, the latter operating under the name of Peoples Prosperity Bank. Town and Country Financial Corporation shares are quoted under the symbol TWCF. For more information about the bank, please visit www.townandcountrybank.com.