MVSB and Avesta Housing team members meet at the Meeting Place Apartments playground that will soon be refreshed to better serve the children and families that call the community home. From left, MVSB’s Julie Clement, VP Business Development & Small Business Lender; Angela Salb, VP Commercial Lending Team Leader; Christina Cook, Universal Banker; Jim Carrigan, RVP; Joshua Bordis, NHTrust Financial Advisor; Danielle Bowles, Branch Services Supervisor; Sue Smulski, AVP Branch & Business Development Manager; Avesta Housing’s Jessica Young, Regional Property Manager; Kate Weidner, Corporate and Major Gifts Officer; Allison Conboy, Property Manager; Melissa LeBrun, Resident Service Coordinator; and Tony Stanganelli, Senior Property Manager.
Residents at Meeting Place Apartments in Exeter will soon benefit from a refreshed and more accessible playground designed to better serve the children and families that call the community home. The project will upgrade the surface area and replace outdated equipment with new play structures and an ADA‑accessible picnic table, creating a safer and more welcoming outdoor space. MVSB is proud to contribute $8,000 to support the playground renewal.
“A welcoming playground plays an important role in helping children stay active and giving families a place to gather,” said Kate Weidner, Corporate and Major Gifts Officer at Avesta Housing. “The playground at Meeting Place Apartments had become outdated and underused, and these improvements will help transform it into a space that encourages play, connection, and a stronger sense of community for residents of all ages.”
“This project will directly enhance everyday life for the families who live here,” said Sue Smulski, Assistant Vice President, Branch & Business Development Manager at MVSB. “With our Exeter office nearby, it’s especially meaningful to support an improvement that helps strengthen the neighborhood and create a space residents can enjoy together.”
Along with supporting the playground project, MVSB is proud to host financial education workshops for Avesta residents in their Exeter and Hampton Falls properties.
Founded in 1972, Avesta Housing is the largest nonprofit affordable housing provider in northern New England, offering safe, quality homes to more than 4,700 residents at over 100 properties in Maine and New Hampshire. The organization also develops and preserves affordable housing, advocates for housing policy, and connects residents to essential services that support long‑term housing stability. Learn more at avestahousing.org.
