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Citizens Bank and Philadelphia District Attorney provide children with school supplies in “Gear for Grades” campaign
1,500 new backpacks donated by Citizens Bank are displayed along with PHILADELPHIA (August 21, 2008) - Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham held a news conference today to present the collection results of this year’s “Gear for Grades” campaign. During the press event, tons of new school supplies were displayed. Citizens Bank donated over 1,500 new backpacks as part of the program. The school supplies were collected by Citizens Bank, the District Attorney’s Urban Genesis Foundation, the Philadelphia Business Journal and Power 99 FM during the month of August. The goal of “Gear for Grades” is to encourage a positive attitude toward school by helping each student start the school year with the necessary supplies.
“The start of a new school year can be both an exciting and anxious time for children and their families,” said Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, Citizens Bank’s President and CEO for Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. “Not every parent can afford a backpack and new school supplies and thanks to our partnership with District Attorney Lynne Abraham, Power 99 and the Philadelphia Business Journal, more children will be prepared for their first day of school.”
During the month of August, new school supplies were collected at Citizens Bank branches throughout the Philadelphia area and at the offices of the District Attorney and Philadelphia Business Journal. Citizens Bank also donated 1,500 logo-free backpacks. Dozens of Citizens Bank volunteers will be sorting the school supplies and stuffing the backpacks to be distributed to children and families in need before school begins.
“When corporations and organizations join together on initiatives like this, good things happen,” said Lynne Abraham, Philadelphia District Attorney. “Education is one of the most important things we can give our children and this year I’m please to say we will be helping thousands of children start the school year on the right foot.”
The 1,500 backpacks purchased by Citizens Bank will be stuffed with new school supplies including rulers, composition books, glue sticks, crayons, scissors, erasers, binders, pens, pencils and more. The backpacks are being donated to various grassroots organizations including Covenant House, Achievability, The Lighthouse, Taller Puertorriqueño, Peoples Emergency Center and many others.
“We are grateful that Citizens Bank, the D.A.’s Urban Genesis Foundation and the other partners are donating school supplies for children,” said Gloria Guard, President, People’s Emergency Center. “Economic conditions have made this year particularly difficult for many homeless families and providing school supplies will relieve the concerns of parents who want their children to be excited about the start of school and it will make their children feel confident and ready to learn.”
School supplies were also collected during a radio marathon from August 7 through August 10, 2008, in northeast Philadelphia with Power 99 FM “Hot Boyz” challenging listeners to come donate enough school supplies to fill an entire yellow school bus.
“This program could not have succeeded without the support from the community,” said Loraine Ballard Morrill, News and Community Affairs Director for Clear Channel Radio Philadelphia. “Hundreds of people came out for our radio marathon to donate supplies. Their generosity really helped keep the momentum going throughout the event.”
In addition to the school supplies, a $5,000 check was presented to the School District of Philadelphia on behalf of the Philadelphia Business Journal. “We are happy to present this check to the School District to support the program, which helps so many children be prepared for school,” said Lyn Kremer, Publisher of the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Citizens Bank also purchased an additional 500 backpacks for Delaware County and teamed up with the Delaware County Council and the Delaware County Daily Times and Sunday Times. These backpacks and supplies were donated to City Team Ministries, Children and Youth Services of Delaware County, and Community Action Agency of Delaware County. Each agency is now distributing the backpacks and school materials to families in need.
This is the fourth year Citizens Bank is conducting its “Gear for Grades” program (formerly known as “Tools for Schools”).
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has approximately 400 branches and more than 690 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 15 retail branches and 37 ATMs in southern New Jersey and a commercial loan office in Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $161 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I.
Citizens Financial Group, through its subsidiaries, has more than 1,600 branches, 3,500 ATMs and 24,000 employees. 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).
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