A report in November from AARP shows that 26 percent of Americans aged 55-plus have been victims of identity fraud, according to the organization.
However, more are taking additional precautions to prevent losses of personal information, as 29 percent have placed credit freezes on their credit bureau information following an identity theft incident. More than half have enrolled in identity protection or credit monitoring services, the report said.
The report, “Identity Fraud in Three Acts,” was developed by Javelin Strategy and Research and sponsored by AARP.
“Older Americans are leading more digitally infused lives, with two-thirds using online banking weekly, so it’s encouraging to see that many are taking proactive steps to protect their identity following a data breach,” said Kathy Stokes, director of AARP Fraud Prevention Programs. “Passwords still represent a security threat, however; using repeated passwords across multiple online accounts makes it easy for criminals to crack one of them so that all of your accounts, including financial accounts, become accessible.”
According to the report, consumers 55-plus want to bank using stronger security authentication. Roughly 90 percent state a desire to use more fingerprint scanning, and 80 percent view facial recognition capabilities as trustworthy forms of technology for financial transactions and private business matters.
The report also said identity fraud victims age 65-plus do not necessarily change how they shop, bank or pay following a fraudulent event, with 70 percent exhibiting reluctance to change familiar habits.
Business Report: Nonprofit Economic Relief During COVID-19
By Matthew Young
Generosity is the lifeblood of a nonprofit organization. Donations can often sustain a charity for generations. But among the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on local communities this year is, unfortunately, the understandable decrease in charitable donations.
This has resulted in many nonprofit organizations experiencing unanticipated financial difficulties. In such times, organizations often look to their institutional funds for support.
Institutional funds, such as an endowment fund, typically consist of donations established either through a gift agreement or estate planning document, such as a will or trust. Donors are oftentimes interested in the long-term survival of the organization and want to ensure that the charitable services will be available to their communities for years to come.
For this reason, donors often place restrictions on access to the principal (original gift amount), only allowing the organization to access the income (interest) generated by the fund. Normally, this model can sustain a charitable organization, but it can be challenging during times of financial crisis.
Fortunately, New York law provides for a procedure under the doctrine of “cy pres,” which means at or near the donor’s intentions when they cannot be precisely followed. This doctrine allows an organization to modify or release donor restrictions placed on the use of charitable gifts (including gaining access to principal) to provide greater flexibility to weather difficult financial times. Two options are available when seeking cy pres relief.
Malta Website Seeks To Promote ‘Great Things’ And Become Conduit For Business Investors
Courtesy Town of Malta
The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Malta announced a new website to feature “all the great things” about the town.
The new web presence is targeted toward promoting the good things happening in Malta, officials said, while also serving as an economic development conduit for businesses considering investing in the town.
The new site, www.MaltaWorks.org, is an outgrowth of the work of the town’s Economic Development Committee. The committee last year launched the Malta Works promotional campaign to promote existing businesses and encourage investment from new businesses. Officials said the website is the next step in that project, providing a one-stop portal for anyone considering doing business in Malta.
The site will be administered and maintained by Chamber staff at no cost to the town.
“This new website is a great next step for our Malta Works campaign to show the world that Malta is a great place to do business,” said Malta Supervisor Darren O’Connor. “Our entire town government has worked tirelessly for several years to improve the business climate, while keeping our small town charm. This website is a great window into that effort and I hope businesses and investors find that for whatever their need, Malta Works.”
Building within the framework of the Chamber’s existing site, the Malta Works presence will benefit from the hundreds of thousands of unique views the Chamber website enjoys annually, boosting awareness of all the Town has to offer, he said.
New Book By Brian Rollo Aims To Help People Accept And Acclimate To Leadership Roles
Courtesy Brian Rollo
Andrea Harwood Palmer
Brian Rollo, a leadership coach and cultural business strategist, has published a new book, “The 10 Habits of Influential Leaders”.
“I wrote this as an actionable handbook for someone who is a people-manager struggling to get results,” said Rollo, who operates his consulting company out of Queensbury. “I highlight the top 10 things that help people-managers get better. Things people can do to get results from their team, and to make leading a team a little less miserable.”
“I tell the story of how I first became a manager, and really struggled in the beginning,” he said. “And I did a lot of research, reading over 50 white papers. I tried to be the channel to distill everything I learned throughout my career, and through extensive research.”
Rollo said the predominant struggle is that some people struggle to step into an authority role. “They may have the title, but they’re afraid to do anything because they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings,.”
Others grasp authority too hard. “They need everyone to know they’re the boss,” he said.
“Both approaches are a road to trouble,” said Rollo. “I address this in the book. It usually plays out in how people deal with conflict.”
“It’s easy to be the boss when everyone just says, ‘I agree, I’ll do whatever you say’. But most of the time it is not like that. In real life, there is frequently conflict. When you’re a team member, you can try to stay in your own world. When you’re a leader, you cannot just ignore it when your team is in conflict. You must be the one to step up and deal with it. If you’re uncomfortable with that, the conflict grows,” said Rollo.
Some managers are in their role through merit, some develop management skills through training, and some land in their position by default of being the only person available when the previous director leaves, he noted.
Stewart’s Shops Holiday Match Campaign Is Underway To Raise Money For Nonprofits
Stewart’s Shops is teaming up with its customers once again to raise money for local children’s charities through its Holiday Match campaign.
It kicked off on Thanksgiving Day and runs through Christmas Day at all shop locations.
“In these times, nonprofits need our help more than ever with increased strains on staffing, resources and budgets. We are proud to partner with our customers to help those who need it most”, said Stewart’s Shops President Gary Dake.
Last year, customers donated an incredible $895,000 to the program, doubling to more than $1.79 million with the Stewart’s match. The funds were able to support 1,830 local children’s organizations across the 31 counties where Stewart’s shops are located.
The program started 34 years ago.
Arrow Financial Corp. Donates $75,000 To 20 Health And Human Service Organizations
The Arrow Financial Corp. has committed $75,000 to 20 health and human service organizations in the area to show its “gratitude for their important work during these challenging times.”
As part of a Month of Thanks campaign, the Arrow group—which includes Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co.—is reaching out to community partners from Albany to Plattsburgh with the goal of supporting their efforts around food insecurity, child care, affordable housing, emergency assistance, mental health, domestic violence prevention, workforce development and youth services, according to a news release.
“As a community bank, we recognize the important work that our nonprofits perform to lift up our neighbors and get them through hard times,” said Arrow Financial Corp. President and CEO Thomas Murphy.
Saratoga Springs Launches Grant Program To Help Businesses Retain Low-Income Workers
The City of Saratoga Springs Office of Community Development has launched a COVID 19 Small Business Grant (SBG) program for local businesses.
SBG, administered locally by the city Office of Community Development, is funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
All applicants must agree to federal program requirements.
Officials said SBG serves to preserve jobs held by low-income employees who would otherwise be lost due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city can provide relief to small businesses through the provision of 25 to 51 grants of $ 5,000-$10,000 in working capital.
Grant funds may be utilized in a variety of creative ways in order to support the small business, generate income, and ultimately preserve the jobs of low income employees, officials said. These uses may include, but are not limited to: payroll, rent or mortgage payments, utilities, purchase/rental of equipment to facilitate the outdoor conduct of business during winter months, purchase and installation of items and equipment that reduce risk of coronavirus transmission.
Low income is defined as adjusted-gross yearly wages of $33,950 or less, as evidenced by the employer’s most recent payroll records.
Applicants must employ less than 50 people and be able to demonstrate extreme financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sufficient documentation must be provided to indicate that the jobs to be retained would be lost without SBG support.
‘Luzerne Productions’ Video Company Works With Nonprofits To Help With Fundraising
Newkey Media
by Andrea Harwood Palmer
“We do a lot of work for nonprofits,” said Bob English, who owns and operates Luzerne Productions, a video production company he opened in 2002.
“It’s such a necessary part of service. For nonprofits, especially right now with the COVID-19 problem, fundraising is a challenge. Everyone needs to raise money.”
He believes his company can help in that regard.
Luzerne Productions is responsible for many videos shown at area nonprofit fundraisers every year. Most recently they produced a fundraising video for Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
“What usually happens with annual fundraisers is: You get everybody in a room with some cocktails and food, you tell them about your service,” said English. “Then you show them a nice video and people say, ‘Wow, I wanna help’ because the people there are altruistic anyway or they wouldn’t be there to begin with. A video at a fundraiser is great because you have a captive audience. You show a video for 2-3 minutes, and if they’re wiping away a tear when you turn the lights back on, then I’ve done my job. That’s how I know I’ve been successful.”
With COVID-19, people can’t congregate in person.
New Mohawk Chevy Facility Could Be Done By June; More Employees Will Be Added
©2020 SaratogaPhotographer.com
By Christine Graf
Construction on Mohawk Chevrolet’s 65,000-square-foot facility in Malta is projected to be completed in June, according to company officials.
BBL Construction of Albany was hired to build the new dealership, which will replace Mohawk Chevrolet’s Clifton Park location.
Mohawk Auto, the owner of Mohawk Honda in Glenville as well as the local Mohawk Chevrolet, purchased the Clifton Park dealership from Northstar Chevrolet in November 2019.
The new Mohawk Chevrolet will be located on Route 67, just off of Northway Exit 12. The property was purchased several years ago by Mohawk Auto president and third generation owner Jeff Haraden. It was originally slated to become home to the 80,000-square-foot Adirondack Aquatic Center. Ultimately, Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady was selected as the location for the $35 million aquatic center.
Mohawk Auto general manager Andrew Guelcher described the aquatic center’s decision to move to Schenectady as serendipitous. When Mohawk purchased Northstar Chevrolet, it was with the intention of relocating it to Malta.
Co-Op Owned Malta Farm And Garden Store Sells Grain, Garden, Pet Supplies And More
©2020 SaratogaPhotographer.com
By Susan Elise Campbell
Malta Farm and Garden, at 2712 Route 9, is now open to shop for farm, garden and pet supplies.
It is the latest of five stores owned by the Millerton Co-op, a group of farmers who have been supporting each other as an enterprise since the 1940s, according to the store’s general manager Paul O’Neil.
The Malta store is the co-op’s northernmost location, O’Neil said. It opened in early October.
“We were bringing four boxloads a week up from the Chatham store an hour away and getting many referrals,” he said. “So we wanted to plant our flag up here and build a retail store to better serve our customers.”
There are five full-time staff working in the warehouse and showroom, plus four part-timers.
O’Neil said Malta “is a great growing town with plenty of room” and the intersection at Route 9 and East High Street was just right for 20,000 square feet of new construction.