News
The Faces Behind The Many Hats
At Needham Bank we know it takes many different hats to build a community. Our latest TV commercial airing on WCVB Channel 5 features just some examples of the hats members of our community wear every day.
As we started thinking about this commercial, we knew we wanted to feature as many real people in our community as we could. Below we’ve profiled those who appeared in the spot and shared a little about why the hat they wear is so important to the fabric of our community.
Westwood Police, Fire and EMS represented the first responders that work around the clock to keep our communities safe. Not only do these brave men and women fight fires, crime and help those who are hurt and injured, but they also give back to their communities through service. Whether it’s a fundraiser for a community project, helping out at schools, or coffee with the seniors in town, their jobs go far beyond public safety and they’re essential to a strong community.
Real college graduates from Needham and surrounding towns came together to represent the class of 2020. These young adults represent the bright future of our communities and hope for a better tomorrow. Some will move away for new opportunities, while others will go on to work for the businesses that help make our communities tick. Chloe Kennedy, featured in the commercial, is just beginning to build her career in Marketing with Needham Bank.
John Catalano from Catalano Automotive represents just one of the many small business owners in our communities. John is building his business with the help of Needham Bank. We’re proud to work with trusted local businesses, like Catalano Automotive, keeping cars on the road well-maintained and safe.
Local Needham artist, Caroline Rufo, represents the community of painters, designers, musicians and actors that bring vibrant culture to our towns. In partnership with many local artists associations, theater groups, and music guilds, the artists in each town bring a welcome and needed creative perspective to our communities.
Players from the Needham High School baseball team came out to Memorial Field to represent student-athletes and teams across our communities. Being a part of a team is an important milestone for students of all ages. Needham Bank supports many different teams in our communities, from sports for all ages to robotics and academic decathlons. We’re proud of the different ways our students come together to achieve common goals.
Jill Rafter and her baby, Grace, represent the most vital piece of a strong community, building a family. Parenting our next generation of “hat-wearers” is one of the most important jobs that a person can take on. The future of our communities lies in the hands of our children, and we’re here to support families in that endeavor each step of the way.
The Natick Community Organic Farm represents the multitude of non-profit organizations that provide important services and resources to our community. At the Natick Community Organic Farm, they not only provide fresh produce and other resources but they also cultivate the next generation of farmers with their teen program, ensuring that the farm will remain sustainable for years to come.
Chiara Bistro in Westwood represents a wonderful community of locally-owned restaurants in our towns. These local options often offer a more welcoming and personal dining experience with locally grown options and more adventurous menus. Dining local is akin to shopping or banking local, when you support local businesses, you are helping to build a strong local economy. That’s more important now than ever.
Needham Bank volunteers helping at Hale in Westwood showcase the efforts by Needham Bank, and many other local community businesses, to give back in order to build stronger communities. Hale is an important resource to families in Westwood and the surrounding towns, but also the City of Boston, as they house a semester-long alternative school program for Boston students called Intrepid Academy. The Needham Bank volunteer Committe has been involved in many different volunteer projects through their work at the Bank, including clean up days, financial literacy in our schools, fundraising walks and other projects.
Local grocery stores, like Dover Market, are an important piece of the small businesses in our community that are giving back to our local economy. Dover Market is a trusted place to do your shopping and customers know that they are getting the best quality produce and products available when they walk in the door.
Craig Rafter, owner of Calumet Construction, represents our traditional builders, the partners that helped us grow our legacy as “The Builder’s Bank”. The importance of what Craig and his team of employees does for our local economy cannot be understated. Needham Bank is proud to partner with builders like Calumet Construction to bring more housing opportunities to our community.