EDEN Receives a $15,000 Grant from the Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation for their Intervention and Stabilization Program

Boston, MA – April 04, 2022 – The Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $15,000 grant to EDEN for their intervention and stabilization program which aims to help break the cycle of homelessness among single mothers and children currently living in long-term shelters.

"EDEN was established with a vision to help families struggling with homelessness, especially single mothers, access the most vital resources they need to give their families a better future. Raising a family is no easy feat. EDEN is the bridge to self-sufficiency for families experiencing homelessness,” said Jehu Leconte, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EDEN.

EDEN partners with family shelters in the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan communities to deliver personal development, mentorship, and coaching opportunities focused on financial literacy, workforce training, and parenting resources. The program participants are typically single mothers who have experienced abuse or violence. Through a holistic and personalized approach, EDEN helps the women they work with achieve all-around self-sufficiency. The grant from the Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation will be used for covering operational costs and program costs, including the purchase of educational training materials and laptops for hybrid learning.

“We are honored to support EDEN in their mission to equip families with the skills, knowledge and resources to overcome homelessness,” said Andrea Borowiecki, Vice President of Charitable Giving & Community Engagement at Rockland Trust. “By providing a wide range of personal development programs to the mothers and children they serve, EDEN is changing lives within the communities we serve, and we’re exceptionally proud to play a small role in the meaningful work they’re doing.”

Throughout the year, EDEN has two six-month cohorts where a personalized plan is developed for each family focused on wellness training, self-development, job training, and financial literacy. Each family moves at their own pace and has personal goals and needs. By the end of the program, over 70% of the 52 women they serve will be employed, making above minimum wage, and will have saved over $1,000.

About Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation, Inc.                                                            

The Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation, Inc. became affiliated with Rockland Trust in 2019. The foundation focuses on six primary areas, including education, financial literacy, health and human services, youth programs, affordable housing, and community development. To date, the Foundation has distributed more than $7.7 million in grants to qualified non-profit organizations in the communities served by Rockland Trust. For information about the Rockland Trust-Blue Hills Charitable Foundation, please visit www.RocklandTrust.com/CharitableGiving.

About INDB and Rockland Trust

Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: INDB) is the holding company for Rockland Trust Company, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in Massachusetts. Rockland Trust was named to The Boston Globe's "Top Places to Work" 2021 list, an honor earned for the 13th consecutive year. In 2021, Rockland Trust was ranked the #1 Bank in Massachusetts according to Forbes World's Best Banks list for the second year in a row. Rockland Trust has a longstanding commitment to equity and inclusion. This commitment is underscored by initiatives such as Diversity and Inclusion leadership training, a colleague Allyship mentoring program, and numerous Employee Resource Groups focused on providing colleague support and education, reinforcing a culture of mutual respect and advancing professional development, and Rockland Trust's sponsorship of diverse community organizations through charitable giving and employee-based volunteerism. In addition, Rockland Trust is deeply committed to the communities it serves, as reflected in the overall "Outstanding" rating in its most recent Community Reinvestment Act performance evaluation. Rockland Trust offers a wide range of banking, investment, and insurance services. The Bank serves businesses and individuals through over 120 retail branches, commercial and residential lending centers, and investment management offices in eastern Massachusetts, including Greater Boston, the South Shore, Cape Cod and Islands, Worcester County, and Rhode Island. Rockland Trust also offers a full suite of mobile, online, and telephone banking services. Rockland Trust is an FDIC member and an Equal Housing Lender.