When Jill Kingston and her husband became foster parents in 2013, their eyes were opened to a greater need within their community — providing inpatient medical care for drug-exposed newborns, non-judgmental support for mothers and education services to improve family outcomes.
Kingston had the vision to be a part of a higher calling, leading her to found and become the executive director of the nonprofit Brigid’s Path. Read on to see how Minster Bank helped make that dream come true and how Brigid’s Path and Minster Bank continue to work together today.
About Brigid’s Path
“When we became foster parents, we didn’t realize there was such a need for a facility like Brigid’s Path in our community,” Kingston said. “Our eyes were truly opened when we received our first foster child.”
In 2015, Brigid’s Path and Minster Bank’s relationship began when they were looking to finance a rebuild of their Kettering, Ohio, location.
“Before choosing Minster Bank we traveled to many lenders who provided business loans,” says Kingston. “Minster Bank supported us 100 percent of the way. I began by telling my story when it was just a vision, and they believed in our mission and fully financed the build of Brigid’s Path.”
Discover how Minster Bank can make your vision a reality with our business loan program.
Supporting a Greater Cause
The community and Minster Bank rallied behind Kingston and her dream to make Brigid’s Path a reality. “Minster Bank immediately became an advocate for Brigid’s Path,” she says. “If we didn’t have Minster Bank, we wouldn’t be where we are.”
The facility was donated by a local Kettering family. With additional donations, the Kingstons were able to pay for all renovations of Brigid’s Path and began repayment to Minster Bank.
Hundreds of volunteers helped with updating the facility. In fact, so many people volunteered that paid positions weren’t needed for many months.
The organization welcomed its first baby in 2017. Today, opportunities for volunteers are available at Brigid’s Path in many different ways such as housekeeping, maintenance, office duties and cuddling babies.
Business Partners Through a Pandemic
Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Brigid’s Path was one of many organizations that were financially affected.
Thanks to foresight and a mutually supportive relationship, the nonprofit was prepared: They received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from Minster Bank to secure 46 paid jobs.
Kingston said the board of directors at Brigid’s Path encouraged the organization to apply for the funding early on.
“We contacted Joel (Bopp) at Minster Bank when it was first being talked about, and we were able to submit the paperwork and get the funding that first time before the government closed it out,” she said.
“It was a huge blessing because what that meant for us, is those 46 employees didn’t have to worry if they had to take off work. There were so many unknowns back then … We were able to still pay them and keep operational during that time of unknowns.
“I don’t know what we would’ve done without having that support. Minster Bank made it so simple to support us during that time.”
Business Partners in Past, Present and Future
In addition to supporting Brigid’s Path during their rebuilding process, through the PPP loan and through traditional business banking services, Minster Bank has also supported the nonprofit in other ways.
“They’ve always supported us by attending our events, through donations or whatever fundraising events we’ve had going on, or even through in-kind donations. It goes far beyond a banking service for us,” said Kingston.
She also said Minster Bank’s personal touch is another reason they continue to work together.
“They check in on us — a real person actually checks on us — they just stop by and say, ‘Hi,’ if they’re in the neighborhood,” she said. “Joel is just wonderful. Our mission is personal to him, so he really stays connected with us and keeps us in the loop of anything happening.”
Learn More About Business Banking Services at Minster Bank
Whether you’re a charity, corporation or limited liability company, Minster Bank understands the needs of every business owner. That’s why we offer a range of business loans and accounts, as well as services including:
– Business bill pay
– Payroll solutions
– Business succession planning
– Remote deposit capture
– Credit card and debit card assistance
– Online banking
– Retirement planning and more
Whether you are looking to finance retail space, build capital to increase inventory or grow your business, Minster Bank offers a variety of financing tools to help you find the best fit for your business goals.
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