Thrive New England Is the First Recipient of the Partners Bank Employee Donation of the Month In 2025
Rebekah Erwin (left), Customer Care Assistant Manager at Partners Bank, proudly presents a $1,000 donation to Jen Holt (right), Board Member/Marketing and Communications at Thrive New England, as Thrive was chosen for the Employee Donation of the Month of January.
Sanford, ME – Selected by Rebekah Erwin, Customer Care Assistant Manager at Partners Bank, to bring awareness during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Thrive New England is the recipient of the Employee Donation of the Month in January.
Every month, Partners Bank selects an employee to choose an organization to receive a $1,000 donation from the bank. This program is one of the many ways the bank honors the values of its employees and involves them in the improvement of the community in Southern Maine and New Hampshire.
According to Thrive New England (AKA Thrive), human trafficking is the second largest, fastest growing crime, citing more than 40.3 million trapped in the system. It is a prominent international crime that occurs in every state, country, and continent. There is no place that is free from this global issue, including New England.
“When most people hear of human trafficking, they tend to think of kidnapping in a third world country and being brought to other places and trafficked, or that they only happen in illegal underground rings. However, this is not always the case,” Erwin shares. “Many are trafficked right in their home states, hometowns, or even right in their own homes. It can happen in industries such as cleaning services, factories, restaurants, and more. Often the traffickers use psychological means to manipulate or threaten victims rather than using physical force. All forms of human trafficking are happening right here in Maine and New Hampshire.”
While there are global organizations and entities that are focused on incarcerating and bringing legal justice to those who are involved or have been victims of human trafficking, Thrive fights the battle on different fronts:
- Prevention Education: The awareness training equips the vulnerable with the knowledge and skills needed to recognize and avoid trafficking and exploitation.
- Restorative Care: Trauma-informed caregivers collaborate to provide an opportunity for survivors to heal and move forward with hope of a better future.
- Survivor Leadership: With a goal of transcending their past and having a victorious future, survivors are given one-on-one mentorship and job skills training to empower them and rebuild confidence.
The unique aspect of Thrive’s programs is they are based on real-world lessons as they were designed by survivors of human trafficking.
Although this donation won’t end human trafficking, the $1,000 donation can provide a year of Peer Support groups for 20 survivors. Partners Bank is happy to help in any way we can and promote Thrive’s approach in the war against human trafficking.
About Partners Bank:
Partners Bank was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Sanford, Maine, with additional Maine branch locations in Springvale, South Sanford, Limerick, Buxton, Waterboro, Wells and York, as well as New Hampshire branch locations in Portsmouth, Rye, and Kingston. Partners Bank is a mutual savings bank that operates solely for the benefit of its deposit and loan customers and is focused on giving back to the communities where it serves. Deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Partners Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Equal Housing Lender. For more information, please visit their eBranch at partners.bank, Facebok page at Facebook.com/PartnersBankOnline or call 1-888-226-5747.