Making Change

As a senior business banker at MainStreet Bank, one MainStreet Bank employee has gotten to know a lot of incredible nonprofits in the community. But this can present a challenge when it comes to deciding where to donate her Making Change funds. So she takes an increasingly popular approach: she splits her funds into several smaller donations, allowing her to support a wider variety of organizations whose missions resonate with her.

In 2025 she chose to support St. Timothy’s Pre-School and NOVA Cool Cats Special Hockey. While she doesn’t have a personal connection to the organizations, she found out about them through her customers and was inspired to help.

St. Timothy’s Pre-School is a small preschool run by St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Herndon, Virginia. Though affiliated with the local church, the school welcomes children from all religions and embraces their diverse backgrounds.

“One thing I love about this school is our diversity,” said Allyson Showalter, Director of St. Timothy’s Pre-School. “Instead of teaching a particular religious viewpoint, we live out our values. Loving one another and being kind to our neighbors is universal.”

The school is also remarkably linguistically diverse, with around 50% of students speaking a language other than English at home, with 15 languages represented. Donations help the preschool get new supplies for their students and pay for playground upkeep and maintenance, ensuring the children have a fun and safe experience for years to come.

The employee’s Making Change funds also supported NOVA Cool Cats Special Hockey, a non-profit hockey team built for those with developmental disabilities. Open to all genders and ages, their program enriches lives and helps players develop characteristics like dependability and self-reliance.

“We use the game to develop each player to be more successful both on and off the rink,” said Head Coach Randy Brawley. “It’s wonderful to see them grow their skills.”

In 2022, they had 34 registered team members, and provided equipment, instruction, mentorship opportunities, and social events for their players. Donations help fund equipment, uniforms, and transportation costs.

While these donations are smaller, they still make a big difference – and let these organizations know they have a partner in their corner.

“By splitting my donation funds, I’m able to maximize my impact,” said the employee. “It means a lot to me to support different nonprofits that are helping others in the community.”