Doing Well by Doing Good 

For more than 30 years, Kennebunk Savings has believed that a successful business should do more than serve its customers. It should strengthen the communities where those customers live, work, and raise their families. 

That belief is rooted in what makes Kennebunk Savings different. As a mutual bank, it doesn’t answer to stockholders. Instead, the community itself is at the center of every decision. 

“We don’t have stockholders,” said Rachel Peter, Officer, Community Engagement Administrator at Kennebunk Savings. “We’ve come to view the community as our stockholders. When we do well, we have the opportunity to give back.” 

That philosophy has guided the bank’s Community Promise Program since 1994. If the community is your shareholder, investing in local nonprofits isn’t simply charitable giving. It’s one of the ways Kennebunk Savings reinvests in the people and places that have made its success possible. Each year, the bank commits 10 percent of its annual earnings to nonprofit organizations throughout southern Maine and New Hampshire while encouraging employees to volunteer their time, share their talents, and build lasting relationships with the organizations they support. 

Rachel has seen that commitment evolve throughout her own career. She joined Kennebunk Savings in 2013 in Customer Care before moving into Corporate Communications. As the bank’s commitment to community engagement continued to grow, a dedicated Social Responsibility department was established, with four full time employees and one part time employee now supporting this work. Today, Rachel helps manage the Huntington Common Charitable Fund, which provides grants benefiting older adults in York County while also coordinating volunteer opportunities that connect employees with causes they care about. 

For Rachel, and for Kennebunk Savings, philanthropy is never just about writing a check. 

“It was important to us that it wasn’t just, ‘Here’s a check. See you next year,'” she said. “We wanted to walk the walk. Our employees have different talents, different experiences, and different passions, and we want to connect them with organizations where they can share those gifts. Nonprofits often need more than funding. Sometimes they need someone’s time, expertise, or simply a helping hand.” 

That commitment has helped create a culture where service is woven into everyday life at Kennebunk Savings. Employees receive paid volunteer time each year, allowing them to step away from their desks and support causes they care about. This year, the bank expanded that benefit from eight hours to twelve, making it even easier for employees to participate throughout the year. 

For a large organization with employees spread across multiple branches and departments, volunteering also creates connections within the bank itself. Someone from a local branch may spend the morning delivering Meals on Wheels alongside a colleague from the operations center, someone they may never have crossed paths with during a typical workday. They return with shared experiences, new friendships, and a stronger connection to both one another and the people they serve. 

“There are so many personal benefits to volunteering,” she said. “It’s good for yourself, your business, and your employees. They connect with their communities, they see needs they may not have known existed, and they come away wanting to do even more.” 

That spirit of service has made Southern Maine Agency on Aging a natural fit. 

For decades, Kennebunk Savings has supported SMAA through both financial contributions and employee volunteerism. Since 2002, the bank has contributed more than $651,410 to advance SMAA’s mission, helping older adults remain healthy, independent, and connected. Today, 18 Kennebunk Savings employees volunteer with SMAA through programs including Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Programs, and Phone Pals. 

Rachel believes those experiences give employees a deeper understanding of the challenges many older adults face, particularly in rural areas across York County. 

“Maine has the oldest population in the country, and older adults are our neighbors, our friends, and our customers,” she said. “Through the Huntington Common Charitable Fund and the organizations we work alongside, we’ve learned so much about the challenges older adults face, especially social isolation. In some of our rural towns, people can become incredibly isolated. The more we’ve learned, the more we’ve wanted to be part of the solution.” 

Kyle Barrett, who volunteers at SMAA’s Adult Day Program, says the experience has changed him as much as it has helped others. 

“I enjoy volunteering with SMAA because I can play a small part in shining a light on an important topic. I learn life skills in empathy and kindness. The passion and care the SMAA employees show is truly refreshing, and though the work can lead to heavy feelings, more often than not, I leave very joyful.” 

Christina Chadbourne shares a similar perspective. 

“I find it very rewarding to be able to make a direct impact in our community.”

Christa Hughes, who delivers Meals on Wheels, also values the connections she makes with clients, fellow volunteers, and the Waypoint volunteers who prepare special touches for each delivery. 

“I enjoy delivering meals for SMAA for so many reasons. I enjoy seeing the Waypoint volunteers at the pick-up site putting together flower arrangements or goody bags (applesauce and butter). They are so diligent and a joy to be greeted by. There are so many recipients that are just so grateful for the service. It is heartwarming to see and hear how much they appreciate the meals, love the bread or cry happy tears when they receive a bouquet of flowers. Over the years we have been lucky enough to have some regular, long-term clients that we get to see each month. I particularly enjoy the deliveries that result in a little bit of conversation, being someone they can chat with about the weather or what they have been up to. It always lifts my mood and puts a smile on my face to have the opportunity to make these deliveries! I also enjoy the time spent with my fellow volunteer, she drives, I navigate, and we get caught up on what has been going on for each other over the past month!”

Those experiences reinforce what Kennebunk Savings has believed for decades: when you invest in people, everyone benefits. 

“We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” Rachel said. “If sharing our experiences encourages another business or another person to volunteer, that’s even better.” 

For Kennebunk Savings, the philosophy is simple: do well by doing good. Whether through financial support, employee volunteerism, or long-standing partnerships, the goal remains the same, helping build stronger, healthier communities for everyone.