First Resource Bank and the Millennial Professional Board will sponsor Hog ‘N Lager, a festival on July 21 that will include live bands, food trucks, a pig roast, beer from local breweries, and more.

Funds raised from the event will be used to combat domestic violence. Specifically, the money will fund grants for which local charities can apply via the Chester County Community Foundation.

Hog ‘N Lager is the first charitable effort by the Millennial Professional Board, an all-volunteer group of young professionals that was formed within the past year. The Board was created through the efforts of First Resource Bank, not only as a way to obtain valuable insight into the banking landscape from a millennial perspective, but also to provide a platform from which to reject negative stereotypes often associated with that age group.

Through various networking events, John Durso, Senior Vice President and Chief Retail Banking Officer at First Resource Bank, had met a number of young professionals and been impressed with their passion for getting things done.

“First Resource Bank is heavily focused on small business, but I’m meeting these amazing young people in their mid-20s and early 30s who are doing really wonderful things at different companies,” he said.

Durso understands the stereotype of millennials who sit on their mom’s couch and play video games all day, but the ones he met in this community couldn’t be more different.

“These are ones who are lighting up their companies,” he said. “The organizations they work for are investing in them, they’re sending them to leadership classes, and they are the future CEOs and CFOs. My thought was let’s get them together.”

After talking with different chambers of commerce and various business owners, Durso identified about 30 millennials who formed The Millennial Board, a group of professionals who will have their opinions heard in meaningful ways, and provide their input on technology, product offerings, marketing, and other topics to help First Resource Bank grow its customer base.

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With the Hog ‘N Lager event, the board is taking the lead on putting together a large community service project.

“We wanted to do something to give back to the community,” said Meredith Wilson, National Events Manager at NephCure Kidney International and co-chair of the Millennial Board.

Wilson agrees that millennials are often the target of negative stereotypes.

“We see that and hear that a lot,” she said. “I’ve seen articles on my Facebook feed and on Twitter that say, ‘millennials did this or that.’”

For Anthony Civitello, Portfolio Strategist with Ellis Investment Partners and Wilson’s co-chair, negative stereotyping of millennials “is not something I really pay attention to. People always blame the younger generation. It’s all really noise.”

Nevertheless, Wilson admits that part of the decision behind the fundraiser was to help dispel the myth of the millennials and show the community the true spirit and passion these young professionals have for doing good works.

“With this event, we wanted to change the narrative and prove the stereotypes wrong,” she said.

The Board brainstormed many options for causes to support with their fundraising effort, and eventually decided to help those who are experiencing issues related to domestic violence.

“It is actually a personal cause for me, so I was very excited when the idea came up,” said Wilson.

In terms of the specific event for their fundraiser, Civitello said the consensus was for something fun and accessible to the general community. They finally decided on their Hog ‘N Lager theme and chose the popular and expansive High Point in Malvern as the venue.

“We wanted to do something that had a little to offer for everyone,” he said. “We weren’t trying to do a fancy black-tie thing or a big gala. We wanted something with a relaxed feel to it and to have a wide variety of people come, and just to be outside with a beer and enjoy the summer.”

The Millennial Board set a goal of raising $40,000 at the fundraiser, with First Resource Bank contributing $15,000 toward the goal to get things off the ground.

“We’ve got a group of energetic young professionals who want to effect social change and make a difference in our community,” said Durso, “and a Community Foundation who understands their vision and is willing to take on the project. And a bank that believes so much in them that we are going to invest some seed money to get their project off the ground.

“This kind of thing doesn’t happen every day.”

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Once the money is raised, the Board will join forces with the Chester County Community Foundation to determine which community groups will be beneficiaries.

“Our overreaching mission is to connect people who care with causes that matter,” said Stephenie Stevens, Community Engagement Officer at the Foundation, which controls 375 funds and has more than $50 million in assets.

Stevens met with First Resource Bank and the Millennial Board and agreed to set up the First Resource Bank Millennial Professional Fund that will be used to fund grants to appropriate charities.

“The talent is endless with them,” she said of the Millennial Board, “and once they raise the money, they wanted to make sure they effectively and smartly grant the money out. Since that is part of what the Community Foundation does it became a natural choice partner with them.”

The First Resource Bank Millennial Professional Fund will operate under the Community Foundation’s 501(c)(3) status, enabling all administrative costs to be split with the other funds run by the Foundation. The benefit is that the bulk of all money raised will be put to use for what it is intended.

After the event, the Community Foundation will begin reaching out to worthy recipients by sending out requests for grant applications.

“Once the money is raised, the Community Foundation will present the Millennial Board with grant proposals from nonprofits that fit within the mission of the their fund,” said Stevens. “The Foundation will also be on hand to help the Millennial Board review and make an informed decision.”

Organizations with a mission to combat domestic violence in Chester County and the Main Line — the areas First Resource Bank serves — will all be welcome to apply to the Foundation for the grant money that is raised. The Community Foundation knows dozens of potential recipients that could apply for a grant, such as the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County.

Whichever group or groups are chosen by the Millennial Board to receive a grant, Stevens knows the amount expected to be raised at the Hog ‘N Lager event will have lasting effects on those suffering from domestic abuse.

“I can’t tell you yet who will receive a grant,” Stevens said, “but what I can tell you is that $40,000 is going to make a wonderful difference to quite a few people. It’s going to definitely make a change.”

Durso is proud that his bank has been the catalyst behind the formation of The Millennial Board, and that this group of young professionals has combined their talents and resources with his bank and the Chester County Foundation for such a worthy fundraiser.

“What a community bank should be doing is leading by example and making change in the neighborhoods it serves,” he said. “And with this event, we can make a difference by investing charitable money right back in the neighborhoods where we have branches, instead of spreading it out all over the country.

“I can’t wait to see what the result of all this is.”

The Hog ‘N Lager will be held on July 21 from 12-7 PM at the High Point in Malvern. Click here for more information.

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