American Portfolios Donates $50,000 to Support Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center

HOLBROOK, NY / AGILITYPR.NEWS / December 02, 2020 / American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (AP)—a privately-held, independent broker/dealer that services financial advisors across the country—formally announces the recent donation of $50,000 in general operating funding to the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC), a leader in live performing arts on Long Island, New York. This charitable contribution, made possible through the American Portfolios Foundation, Inc., will help to sustain WHBPAC through the COVID-19 pandemic as it looks for ways to innovate and present the performing arts to audiences in modern ways. AP’s support also ensures the WHBPAC will be able to continue its landmark Arts Academy programs and reach a wider audience than ever before.

“AP has taken a long-term stakeholder approach toward sustainability by implementing a business strategy that considers every dimension in the ethical, social, environmental, cultural and economic realms,” states AP CEO Lon T. Dolber. "While we aspire to touch upon many aspects of sustainability, we have always been committed to serving people and places we are connected to—more specifically through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, in which AP gives us a platform to do good work in our communities, in turn making the world a better place for everyone. Therefore, we are pleased to be in a position to aid WHBPAC during these unprecedented times and are honored to support their mission.”

“Support from partners like American Portfolios is critical to our survival,” said Julienne Penza-Boone, executive director of the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. “Although we represent completely different spheres of business, we share core values—the most important being that we put people first. CEO Lon T. Dolber understands that in a time of crisis, we have to take care of one another. He recognizes the importance of access to the arts, particularly in these dark times. This makes American Portfolios an ideal partner for WHBPAC.”

Currently, the live events industry in New York state remains at an impasse as it continues to advocate for reopening measures. WHBPAC has been shuttered since March 2020 and was forced to reschedule its summer lineup to 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a loss from which the theatre is still recovering. Without the theatre and its legendary Mainstage performances, the Westhampton Beach economy has suffered as a result. “This funding will go a long way toward helping the theatre’s Arts Academy continue to offer small, socially-distanced arts programs,” said Penza-Boone. “We were able to pivot and offer most of our classes virtually—including Masterclasses with Broadway performers and inspiring webinars with our Moment series—but now we’re facing the reality of what it will take to reopen safely at some point and this generous donation will help us do just that.”

A resident of East Moriches, N.Y., Dolber has both a personal and professional connection to WHBPAC and firmly believes the sponsorship of the local not-for-profit arts organization will fit seamlessly into AP’s sustainability and CSR goals. “As good corporate citizens, we are obliged to help the communities in which we live and work,” states Dolber. “Social responsibility is a mutually beneficial exercise on a multitude of levels—namely, financially. We gain so much more, personally and professionally, by doing good than by worrying solely about the bottom line.”

AP holds itself responsible not only for its investment professionals who serve the investing public, but also to the community-at-large with its active involvement in many socially responsible endeavors involving veterans, individuals with disabilities, mentoring and education, and health and well-being. AP is proud to support and sponsor such non-profit organizations as World T.E.A.M. (WT), The Center for Discovery (TCFD), Virtual Enterprises International (VEI), Life Arts, Inc., The Butterfly Effect Project (BEP), Long Island Cares (LIC) and Honor Flight Long Island (HFLI), to name a few.