A Long Island-based mortgage banking company is not wasting any time helping the community after officially opening their first Bronx location.
United Northern Mortgage Bankers, Ltd., who has been in business for over 32 years, invited local elected officials and residents for the grand opening of their new office in the borough on 2105 Williamsbridge Road on Tuesday, September 6.
To show that they are ready to be part of the Morris Park community, United executive vice president Julio de Cardenas invited students and parents of nearby P.S. 108 on 1166 Neill Avenue to pick up over 200 free backpacks filled with school supplies.
Cardenas, who said the company’s founder was born and raised in the Bronx, believes the best way for a new business to reach out to their community is by helping as much as they can.
“We have always had a lot of business with the Bronx and its residents, but now we can offer a location right here in the borough to help as much as we can,” Cardenas said. “I’m a father of six children, so I know what it’s like to purchase school supplies around this time of year. We felt that with backpacks and school supplies would be the best way to help parents in children in the community.”
United Northern employees were joined by Councilman Jimmy Vacca, Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera and Bronx Chamber of Commerce of Commerce president and C.E.O. Lenny Caro to distribute the backpacks to local students and formally welcome the company to the Bronx.
Caro presented Cardenas with an official certificate, welcoming United Northern as a new business member of the Chamber and the Bronx.
“Anytime you bring businesses to the Bronx it not only helps the borough, but it certainly helps our residents,” Caro said. “United Northern will certainly help our residents learn more and help them with their homes and mortgages. They are already showing that they want to help this community in any way that they can.”
P.S. 108 parents were notified through the school’s website and letters that United Northern would be distributing the supplies. Despite the rainy weather, approximately 30 families came to the new office to collect the backpacks.
According to Christian Berio, marketing executive for United, all remaining backpacks were brought to the school and were distributed to students on a first-come, first-served basis when P.S. 108 began the new school year on Thursday, September 8.
An important addition to the office is a large learning center room that Cardenas said will be used for training anyone interested in careers in mortgage banking.
“We open our doors for anybody who is interested in joining us for training,” he said. “Starting in October, we will also offer free, once-a-month seminars to help anyone currently buying or selling homes.”
