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Citizens Bank colleague in Massachusetts on loan to RESPOND, Inc.
Everett resident working full time with Somerville domestic violence organization through Community Service Sabbatical programBOSTON (September 10, 2008) - Denise Lamas, a loan analyst at Citizens Bank, has been awarded a three-month Community Service Sabbatical. Lamas is volunteering at RESPOND, Inc., a nonprofit organization that works to improve the lives, protect the rights and ensure the safety of women and children suffering from domestic violence.
Founded in 1974, RESPOND is New England’s first domestic violence agency. It provides shelter, support and education and serves greater Boston with a special emphasis on 11 communities in Middlesex County including Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Somerville, Stoneham, Wakefield, Winchester and Woburn.
As Citizens’ latest Community Service Sabbatical recipient, Lamas is working with the Somerville-based organization as a full-time volunteer for three months during a paid leave of absence from the bank. Her sabbatical began the first week in September and runs through the first week in December.
“As a small organization striving to make a positive difference in the lives of women and children, we are thrilled that Denise has chosen to volunteer at RESPOND and Citizens Bank is supporting her efforts,” said Jessica Brayden, Executive Director of RESPOND, Inc. “I know Denise will be a tremendous asset to the organization and I look forward to working with and learning from her.”
During her time at the organization, Lamas will assist with the planning of RESPOND’s annual fundraising gala. The event raises much-needed funds that enable the organization to sustain essential core services in its shelter and community programs. RESPOND’s services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, individual advocacy, support groups, safety planning, children’s services, legal support in the courts and community education.
Lamas also will work with RESPOND’s holiday wish list program, by reaching out to donors seeking specific holiday gifts for the organization’s women and children. Last year’s program assisted more than 100 women and families.
In addition, she will work directly with clients and their families to ensure they receive requested donations of toiletries and everyday supplies. Lamas will also assist the Director of Programs and Services with coordinating activities and education during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Planned events include candlelight vigils featuring survivor speakers and tributes honoring those who lost their lives to domestic violence.
“Helping others has always been important to me and I am extremely excited for this amazing opportunity to work with RESPOND,” said Lamas. “I look forward to empowering young women and children, who have been through so much, and helping them to live the safer lives they truly deserve.”
“We’re extremely proud of our Community Service Sabbatical program that benefits both the nonprofit organization and the Citizens colleague who returns to work with a new perspective on life,” said Robert E. Smyth, president, Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. “This program is just one way in which we express our continued appreciation and dedication to the community as a caring corporate citizen.”
The Citizens Bank Community Service Sabbatical program is open to all full-time Citizens employees who have three or more years of service at Citizens. Each year, a sabbatical is offered on a competitive basis to employees in Massachusetts. The selected employee works a standard full-time schedule at a nonprofit agency and is supervised by agency personnel. Upon returning to Citizens, sabbatical recipients are asked to share their experiences with their bank colleagues. Employees selected for the program are guaranteed their same salary and level of responsibility upon completion of the sabbatical.
Lamas is the 11th colleague in Massachusetts and 72nd overall to participate in this program. Earlier this year, Citizens lent a colleague to YouthBuild Boston, a nonprofit organization that improves opportunities for young people in the city by teaching them the skills they need to support themselves and lead productive lives.
She is a resident of Everett, Mass. and has been a Citizens Bank colleague for 15 years.
About Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank is a division of RBS Citizens, N.A., operating its seven-state branch network in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. It has 258 branches and 597 ATMs in Massachusetts. RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $161 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 13-state branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. It is one of the 10 largest commercial banking companies in the United States ranked by assets and deposits. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). CFG’s Web site is citizensbank.com.
About RESPOND, Inc.
Founded in 1974, RESPOND, Inc. is New England’s first domestic violence agency and the second in the nation. RESPOND’s mission is to help women and their children create options for a safer life, free from domestic violence, and to further the efforts of the larger community to end domestic violence. Services include emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline, support groups, individual counseling, legal advocacy, community outreach and educational programs. All services are provided in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, and Haitian Creole. RESPOND serves metropolitan Boston and beyond. For the 24-hour hotline, call 617-623-5900. For more information on RESPOND, visit respondinc.org or call 617-625-5996.
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