Committed to Our
Communities

Over the weekend, Siena participated in the Walk for Wishes event benefiting Make-A-Wish® Connecticut (opens in a new tab) . We placed first for fundraising in both the team and company categories! It was a truly inspiring event for everyone who attended, and we thank all of you who contributed to our efforts to help make kids’ wishes come true.

David’s Treasure Chest is a toy closet at Stamford Hospital, just up the street from Siena’s headquarters in Connecticut. It’s a special amenity located in the pediatric unit which provides free new toys to hospitalized children as a caring gesture to help lift their spirits.

In April 2024, the Siena team held a toy drive to benefit this worthy cause, which depends on donations from local businesses, nonprofit organizations and community members. Over 100 toys were collected to replenish the closet.

On May 10, 2019, Nick Payne, Director of Siena Lending Group and President of CFA Midwest, organized the inaugural CFA Cares Spring Gala to benefit Imerman Angels, an organization that provides one-on-one cancer support to those affected by some form of the disease, free of charge. The gala was Nick’s fourth fundraiser for Imerman Angels and, with over 200 people in attendance, the most successful yet.

Siena Lending Group was a sponsor of the event.

Almost everyone has been touched by cancer in some way or another. And, while there are many organizations devoted to finding cures for many variations of the disease, Nick admired Imerman’s mission which seeks to aid those affected by cancer today.

Through their unique matching process, Imerman Angels partners cancer patients seeking support with someone just like them – a cancer survivor who has faced the same type and stage of cancer, better known as a “Mentor Angel.”

These one-on-one relationships give cancer fighters the chance to ask personal questions and receive motivation and empathy from someone who has been there before them. Mentor Angels help patients navigate the system, determine their options, and create their own support systems all while being sensitive and compassionate to the experience.

Siena was proud to partner with several public schools in Stamford, CT, where we are based, to give computers to students in need. In all, we donated more than 20 laptops that were out of circulation. It was truly gratifying to read the many thank-you letters we received from the schools, explaining how the computers would be refurbished and issued to young scholars to help advance their education.

Our first company-wide volunteer day was devoted to DOMUS, a nonprofit organization in Stamford, CT, where Siena is headquartered. DOMUS serves more than 1,100 at-risk and underprivileged youth in the city, providing programs to help them live healthy and fulfilling lives, both now and into adulthood.

The Siena team was honored and humbled at the opportunity to spend an afternoon with children in grades 3-8, playing kickball, dodgeball, basketball and other games. We also enjoyed talking to the children about their interests, career paths and life in general.

DOMUS is Latin for “home.” The organization’s slogan is “Love Lives Here,” and we could truly feel that sentiment during our short time there. The Siena team thanks everyone at DOMUS for the opportunity to share an afternoon with you.

During the company-wide DOMUS volunteer day, a few Siena team members were especially moved by Yan Marte, an alumni of DOMUS’ program, and his positive influence on the younger attendees. When he spoke passionately to the group about his love for basketball, Steve Fuscaldo, Troy Larsen, and Alkesh Badshah huddled up and decided to take the young man to his first professional basketball game in February. The group had a blast bonding, talking sports, and enjoying New York City and the Knicks.

Twice a month, Jim Persico heads over to the New Covenant Center as a volunteer and serves lunch to those less fortunate. Jim’s been doing this for fifteen years.

The New Covenant Center, formerly known as New Covenant House of Hospitality, first opened in 1978 as a soup kitchen “to help the neediest in greater Stamford meet the most basic need for food in a dignified and respectful environment.” This founding principle still drives their efforts. Today, the New Covenant Center is one of the largest soup kitchens in Connecticut and is the only one in our area open 365 days per year, providing three meals daily.

This year, more than any other, has shown us how important it is to value what we have and to share with those less fortunate. And in the spirit of giving, on your behalf we have donated funds to food pantries and soup kitchens across the country. We feel privileged to work with these worthy organizations who are doing so much to help those in need, and with our financial support, 167,500 meals will be served to those who would otherwise go hungry.