Pioneer Bank donates $10K to Vanderheyden

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A local youth program received a funding boost on Wednesday from Pioneer Bank. It donated $10,000 to Vanderheyden, Inc., a non-profit that provides services for local children and their families.

The donation will be used to support the organization's career center and Vandy Thrift Shop, both of which provide job readiness training to young people. Leaders with the non-profit said the ultimate goal is to set the kids up for success.

"The individuals that come to us come from a variety of backgrounds -- abuse, neglect, some have behavioral problems -- and our job is really to make sure that we can change their life to save their life," Vanderheyden Pres. Karen Carpenter said. "One of the ways we do that is to teach them the job skills. What we're doing today at the Vandy Thrift Shop so they can have a future job, a house, and a wonderful life."

All of the money made at the Vandy Thrift Shop supports Vanderheyden programming. It's located at 412 Broadway in Albany.