Community Band recently donated $7,500 to HomeOwnershipCenter to help support the homeownership education services and resources it provides to effectively impact neighborhoods and promote self-reliance across six counties.

With a mission to see revitalization and growth of neighborhoods, the HomeOwnershipCenter envisions communities in Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Fulton, Montgomery and Otsego counties that thrive by encouraging homeownership with education and enabling financially responsible and empowered individuals to create safe, stable and prosperous neighborhoods, according to the donation announcement.

“We’re proud to support the HomeOwnershipCenter,” Community Bank District Manager Wendy Berg said. “This organization has given so much back to our community and we’re happy to help HOC continue to provide programs and educational resources to revitalize our neighborhoods.”

“We are pleased that Community Bank chose to invest in us, which is in turn an investment into our communities. Through financial coaching, homebuyer education and down payment assistance programs, the HomeOwnershipCenter has been helping first-time homebuyers for decades,” said Danielle Smith, CEO of the HomeOwnershipCenter.

“Community Bank’s generous donation will help us further assist individuals and families with making the dream of owning their own home a reality,” Smith added.

HOC is a full-cycle lender offering homebuyer education classes, financial coaching, foreclosure prevention, down-payment/closing-cost loans, home-improvement loans, property evaluations, rehabilitation construction, empowerment education and community coordination through block associations, the announcement said.