Bar Harbor Bank & Trust’s Employee-Driven Charitable Giving Program Presents Nearly $23,000 in Donations to 12 Nonprofits Serving Northern New England

Bar Harbor, Maine (June 17, 2026) – Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees recently presented nearly $23,000 in donations collected through the Bank’s employee-driven charitable giving program, Casual for a Cause, to 12 organizations serving communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The recipients of the donations collected during the first quarter of 2026 are:

• Maine
• Bangor Children’s Home
• Better Milbridge
• Christine B. Foundation
• Community Christmas Project
• Town of Lubec
• Washington Academy
• New Hampshire
• Affordable Housing Education & Development
• The Colonial Theatre
• LISTEN Community Service
• Vermont
• BarnArts Center for the Arts
• Center on Rural Innovation
• Safer Society Foundation

Casual for a Cause participants dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a bi-weekly payroll deduction made to a pool of funds collected each quarter. The program participants then vote on which community organizations will receive the funds collected the previous quarter. More than $486,000 has been donated since the program began in 2018.

“The continued generosity of my colleagues at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust means 12 more nonprofits in our region can continue to reach for their goals and help our neighbors,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Every donation this quarter is helping to make Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont even stronger than before.”

Recipients of Q1 2026 Donations

Maine

Bangor Children’s Home — Hilltop School

This contribution will directly support our mission to provide high-quality early education and care for young children in our community.

“Hilltop School is deeply grateful to the employees of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust for their generous donation and for choosing to support the meaningful work we do in early education for children in Bangor and the surrounding communities,” said Tracy Garrow, Executive Director of the Hilltop School. “As we look ahead to expanding our program, this gift will play an important role in helping us move toward that goal, while also enhancing the materials, learning experiences, and opportunities we are able to offer every day.”

Better Milbridge

Better Milbridge engages residents of Milbridge and Downeast Maine through a variety of free, family-friendly events for all ages and all community members to enjoy regardless of their economic circumstances.

“Better Milbridge deeply appreciates the meaningful recognition, community partnership, and generous support of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust,” said Brittany Ray, Events Coordinator at Better Milbridge. “Your investment in our community helps us break down economic barriers and create engaging, educational, and family-friendly experiences that are accessible to all members of our community, regardless of financial circumstances.”

Christine B. Foundation

Since 2014, the Christine B. Foundation (CBF)has sought to support those facing cancer by extending access to healthy food, nutritional information, and community connections that are essential to their strength and comfort. The organization serves more than 300 Mainers each week, and has provided cancer patients with more than 700,000 no-cost meals to date. Learn more at chrisbfund.org.

“We are so grateful for the support from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees,” said Matt Dexter, Executive Director of CBF. “With 93% of our patients reporting that their cancer diagnosis impacted their financial security, gifts like these are vital to ensuring our nutrition and financial services remain 100% no cost for every person we serve.”

Community Christmas Project

Based in Pittsfield, the Community Christmas Project (CCP) supports families in need as a year-round source of food, clothing, and other necessary items, in addition to toys during the holiday season.

“I want to thank the Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employes for their generous donation to the Community Christmas Project food pantry. The donation will go a long way to helping the families in our communities,” said Donald Goodwin, President of the Community Christmas Project.

Town of Lubec

The Town of Lubec’s Friends of the Lubec Playground coordinates, oversees, and executes the maintenance and preservation of the Lubec community playground, which is conveniently located across the street from the town’s elementary school and Community Outreach Center.

“The Lubec Community Playground Committee is very appreciative to have been selected by the Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees for their generous donations,” said Alex Henry, Playground Committee Member. “We rely on donations such as these to keep our 25-year-old playground safe & functioning for the community. This gift will go a long way toward that.”

Washington Academy

Located in East Machias, Washington Academy has been helping students try to achieve their dreams for more than 230 years. Today, it has more than 400 students and strives to create opportunities that will equip them socially and intellectually for their future endeavors. The school utilizes the Pay It Forward Fund to assist students with emergency needs. Learn more at washingtonacademy.org.

“We are extremely grateful to the employees at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust for selecting Washington Academy as a recipient of their Casual for a Cause program,” said Judson McBrine, Head of School at Washington Academy. “It is our mission to provide top-notch education to the youths of Washington County, and your partnership helps make this promise possible.”

New Hampshire

Affordable Housing Education & Development

Based in Littleton, Affordable Housing Education & Development (AHEAD) creates pathways to safe, affordable housing which helps to strengthen and revitalize rural communities. AHEAD offers workshops, financial coaching resources, apartment rentals, and an array of homeownership services to residents of Northern New Hampshire. Learn more at homesahead.org.

“Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and its employees have consistently been wonderful partners to AHEAD. Their continued support of our affordable housing programs and services — most recently through the Casual for Cause program — helps ensure individuals and families in our region have access to safe, stable housing,” said Samantha Marshall, AHEAD’s Director of Operations. “We are truly thankful for their ongoing commitment to our mission.”

The Colonial Theatre

The Colonial Theatre, located in Bethlehem, is the home of arts, film, music, and culture in New Hampshire’s North Country, and it seeks to enrich and engage the community through the arts, including youth programming. Learn more at bethlehemcolonial.org.

“We are incredibly grateful to the employees of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust for selecting The Colonial Theatre as a recipient of their Casual for a Cause program,” said Brenna Nicely, Executive Director of The Colonial Theatre. “This generous gift reflects a shared commitment to community and helps us continue offering film, live performance, and cultural programming that enriches life in New Hampshire’s North Country.”

LISTEN Community Center

For more than 50 years, LISTEN Community Services has served communities in the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire through a variety of programs and initiatives, from thrift stores, community dinners, camp scholarships, heating and housing helpers, and more. LISTEN is passionate about helping families and individuals secure the resources they need to be safe, warm, fed and housed. Learn more at listencs.org.

“We’re honored to be selected by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees through Casual for a Cause. Support like this reminds us that community care doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people choose to invest in their neighbors, and that’s exactly what this gift will help LISTEN continue to do,” said Kristi Lenart-Rikert, Executive Director of LISTEN.

Vermont

BarnArts Center for the Arts

Founded in 2012 to create more opportunities for the rural community of Barnard, with a population of less than 1,000 year-round residents, to engage in the arts, BarnArts Center for the Arts (BCA) offers access to quality art and performances at a variety of community venues and outdoor spaces. Learn more at barnarts.org.

“It means so much to receive the Casual for a Cause grant from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust,” said Linda Treash, Executive Director of BCA. “These funds will go towards our greater goal of bringing accessible, quality performing arts experiences to our community and with our community!”

Center on Rural Innovation

The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), headquartered in Hartland, serves rural communities across the U.S., helping them build the capacity of rural leaders to support thriving, sustainable digital economies. CORI is shifting the narrative about what is possible in small towns with original research and storytelling that offers actionable insights, analysis, and recommendations on economic challenges and opportunities facing rural America. Learn more at ruralinnovation.us.

“We are grateful to the employees of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust for their generous donation in support of CORI's mission to build thriving tech economies in rural communities across America,” said Matt Dunne, CORI’s CEO. “Gifts like these fuel the work of local entrepreneurs and innovators who are proving every day that big ideas can come from small towns.”

Safer Society Foundation

The Safer Society Foundation (SSF) in Brandon has been dedicated to creating a world free from the harmful effects of sexual and social violence for more than three decades. Its continuing education center provides trainings, free webinars, and other education opportunities in areas like psychology, social work, and counseling. Learn more at safersociety.org.

“On behalf of myself and my colleagues at Safer Society, I want to thank Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees for their generous support of our efforts to create a world free from sexual abuse and social violence,” said Sarah Snow Haskell, SSF Executive Director. “These funds will directly support our Fay Honey Knopp Learning Initiative by expanding access to specialized training for mental health professionals in Vermont, strengthening their ability to prevent abuse and support healing in our communities. We are grateful for all you do, Bar Harbor — your team makes a real difference!”

Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating more than 60 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine, and has more than $4.5 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiary Bar Harbor Wealth Management. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.

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