To celebrate the recent opening of its New Bedford branch, Citizen~Union Savings Bank and the area residents have chosen 34 local nonprofit organizations to receive a total of $25,000 in grants.

The three big winners were the Greater New Bedford Adult Day Health Care Center Inc. (Project Independence) which received $5,600; the New Bedford Oceanarium Corp. (Ocean Explorium) which was awarded $2,700; and the Cape Verdean Recognition Scholarship Committee which was given $1,800 through the bank’s Neighborhood Contributions Program. The remaining 31 organizations will be given a portion of the earmarked funds, according to a statement.

"We thank our many neighbors and friends for helping in this selection process," said Executive Vice President Carl Taber. "We are delighted with the response we received, and couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to introduce ourselves to our new neighborhood."

Citizens~Union Savings Bank’s New Bedford branch opened in mid-September and is located at 1000 Ashley Boulevard.