Manchester Center Gets $500K Endowment Investment From St. Mary's Bank

MANCHESTER, NH — A new community center on the city's West Side has received a $500,000 endowment investment from St. Mary's Bank.

The investment is for the Mark Stebbins Community Center, a collaborative space being built to support families and individuals in a central, accessible location.

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St. Mary's Bank chose to fund the center's endowment rather than make a traditional operating gift. The bank said the investment will grow over time, with annual earnings helping support operations while the principal remains in place. The contribution will be recognized with a maple tree presentation instead of a traditional check, a choice the bank said reflects growth, strength, long-term value and community impact.

"Choosing to invest in the endowment reflects how we work with our community partners by listening, collaborating, and shaping support around their vision," Ken Senus, CEO and President of St. Mary's Bank said. "It's about understanding what the Mark Stebbins Community Center is building and contributing in a way that strengthens that work over time and delivers lasting value for the community."

The org's support also will be recognized through the naming of the entrances serving the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester and Amoskeag Health, two anchor partners in the center, according to the release. The bank said the investment carries added meaning because St. Mary's Bank was founded on Manchester's West Side in 1908 and still serves the neighborhood.

"St. Mary's Bank has long been part of Manchester's West Side and a valued partner to many of the organizations that will call this Center home," Jeanine Tousignant, project facilitator and capital campaign counsel for the Mark Stebbins Community Center, said. "Their early support has helped shape this project from the start, sharing a commitment to collaboration and meaningful impact for the community."

The Mark Stebbins Community Center is expected to bring several nonprofit organizations under one roof. Anchor tenants will be Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester and Amoskeag Health, with partner organizations including the NH Food Bank, Community Action Partnership, Granite YMCA, Waypoint, Easterseals and Granite United Way also providing services.

The center is slated to open in September 2026, according to the release. The project was the vision of the late Mark Stebbins, who supported Manchester's nonprofit community for decades and encouraged organizations to work together.