01/03/2012

Citizens Bank Foundation gives $127,500 to help families and individuals facing homelessness

Initiative provides grants for homeless prevention, emergency shelters and transitional housing

Manchester, N.H. (January 3, 2012) - The Citizens Bank Foundation today announced it is providing $127,500 in contributions to 12 organizations serving the homeless across New Hampshire. These programs will directly support more than 3,400 individuals and families in New Hampshire who are in need of housing, food and social services.

“Addressing the issue of homelessness has long been a priority of the Citizens Bank Foundation,” said Joe Carelli, president, Citizens Bank, New Hampshire. “As the effects of the economic recession linger, most homeless service providers continue to report an increased demand for services. We believe it is critical that we work together to ensure that vulnerable individuals and families have access to emergency housing and longer-term affordable housing.”

In a count of New Hampshire’s homeless population conducted in January 2011, the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services reported that more than 2,500 single individuals, parents and children were homeless. This is an 18 percent increase in the population and a 15 percent increase in the number of families experiencing homelessness from the previous year.

Recent data from the N.H. Department of Education reports a significant increase in the number of homeless children in schools across that state. For the 2010-2011 school year, more than 3,100 children were reported to be homeless. Nearly 800 children in the Manchester school system have been reported as homeless since the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

Among the organizations receiving a Citizens grant is Angie’s Shelter, operated by New Horizons. “Angie’s Shelter offers stable housing and individualized case management to single homeless women,” said Charlie Sherman, executive director of New Horizons. “Last year alone, Angie’s sheltered 86 women, a 46 percent increase from four years ago. Demand continues to increase. We are thankful for the support from Citizens to help us provide services to those in need.”

The Citizens Bank Foundation has invested $680,000 over the past eight years in homelessness prevention, transitional housing and emergency shelters. It supports programs and organizations that take a holistic approach to helping individuals and families find housing and achieve self-sufficiency.

“We are grateful to Citizens Bank for their continued support,” said Chris Sterndale, executive director of Cross Roads House, another grant recipient. “With Citizens’ financial commitment to our organization’s renovated emergency family shelter, our case managers will be able to provide individualized support to help clients find housing and employment, to address medical issues and to access other social services in the community.” Cross Roads House was recognized as a Citizens Bank and WMUR-TV Champion in Action® in 2005.

The organizations that received grants from the Citizens Bank Foundation to address homelessness are:

Manchester

  • New Horizons for New Hampshire Inc.: $10,000 grant to support Angie’s Shelter, a transitional housing program for women.
  • Harbor Homes: $20,000 to support the construction of a new 26-unit transitional housing development to serve homeless veterans and their families in Manchester.
  • Families in Transition: $15,000 to continue working with homeless families to provide better access and immediate on-site case management services. This will reduce the length of stay in the shelter and allowing more families to access support services.
  • The Way Home: $10,000 to support The Way Home’s Rental Assistance Program, which provides individualized counseling and security deposit loans to families who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. These funds will help The Way Home increase the number of people served by 20 percent.

Portsmouth

  • Cross Roads House Inc.: $10,000 to support the family shelter, which provides a safe and stable environment for homeless families while they work to obtain affordable permanent housing.
  • New Generation Inc.: $2,500 to provide individualized counseling to pregnant and parenting women in the shelter to help them access resources in the community, including permanent housing, healthcare, food and employment.

Nashua

  • Marguerite’s Place: $25,000 was awarded to Marguerite’s Place as a Champion in Action. Serving 100 homeless women and children annually, Marguerite’s Place will use this grant to support its transitional housing program, child care and wrap-around services.
  • Nashua Pastoral Care Center Inc.: $10,000 to support Nashua Pastoral Care Center’s Homeless Intervention and Prevention Program. This program provides one-time financial assistance for rent, utilities and heating costs for individuals and families in danger of becoming homeless.
  • Bridges: Domestic and Sexual Violence Support: $2,500 to provide fuel assistance for Bridges, a 12-bed emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence.

North/Central Region 

  • Community Action Program of Belknap and Merrimack Counties Inc.: $10,0000 to support the Community Action Program’s three homeless intervention and prevention programs, which provide emergency financial assistance to residents in jeopardy of losing their homes and transitional housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Western Region

  • The Upper Valley Haven Inc.: $7,500 to support the Upper Valley Haven’s Outreach Program, which provides temporary support for homeless individuals and families. Since the beginning of the year, The Upper Valley Haven has served more than 1,800 people, including 482 people in September when flooding from Hurricane Irene displaced residents in New Hampshire and Vermont.
  • Turning Points Network: $5,000 to provide funds for case management services for clients at Turning Points in Claremont, a 16-bed shelter for victims of domestic violence.

About the Citizens Bank Foundation

Citizens Bank Foundation is a subsidiary of the Citizens Charitable Foundation, which is a charitable contributions vehicle of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. The foundation’s support is focused on housing, community development and basic human needs.