News
January 16, 2026Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Donates $20,000 to Vanderheyden Career Training Program for Special Needs Youth
The Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation has generously donated $20,000 to support Vanderheyden’s “5 C’s to Career Choices” program, which teaches employable skills to special needs youth. Established in 2001, the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation is the community legacy of the former Troy Savings Bank. The Foundation invests in community solutions in Albany and Rensselaer Counties of upstate New York. To date, the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation has distributed more than $18M in grants to support our region’s nonprofits.
Jenna Cuilla, Executive Director of the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, says, “We are thrilled to support a program here in Rensselaer County, which directly helps young people in need develop job skills.”
Through the “5 C’s,” students get the opportunity to try up to five career possibilities: Culinary, Cleaning, Clothes, Cars, and Cookies. For Culinary, students learn how to work in a professional kitchen. They create menus, prepare food, order supplies, and maintain kitchen hygiene. For Cleaning, students work with Vanderheyden’s maintenance crew to learn custodial duties. For Clothes, students work at The Vandy Thrift Shoppe to learn all aspects of retail – sorting items, displaying them, customer service and working the register. For Cars, Vanderheyden has partnered with Hoffman Car Wash to train students in professional car cleaning, which they then apply to Vanderheyden’s vehicles. The final C is for Cookies, there is Vanderheyden’s Cookie Jar Bakery, where students develop recipes, maintain inventory, and bake, market and sell baked goods.
All of Vanderheyden’s students have special needs stemming from histories of trauma and family homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, or intellectual or developmental disabilities. The 5 C’s program partners the students with job coaches who are educated in providing the intensive, one-on-one training they need when learning new skills and equipment.
“We are thrilled to have the support of the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation for the career training program for those we serve,” said Karen M. Carpenter, President & CEO of Vanderheyden. “Our 5 C’s program means our individuals will graduate with employable skills and job experience. The impact of the training means they can begin their adult lives, support themselves, and contribute to their communities,”
