01/26/2012

Bridge Over Troubled Waters named Champion in Action

Citizens Bank and NECN provide $35,000 grant, PR and volunteer support

BOSTON (January 26, 2012) – Earlier today, Citizens Bank and New England Cable News (NECN) named Bridge Over Troubled Waters in Boston as the first 2012 Champion in Action® in the category of youth initiatives. As part of the award, Bridge Over Troubled Waters receives a $35,000 unrestricted grant, media coverage and extensive promotional and volunteer support for its work to reduce youth homelessness.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters works to transform the lives of runaway, homeless and high-risk youth by providing effective and innovative services. It also helps them avoid a lifetime of dependency on social services and guides them towards self-sufficiency.

“We commend Bridge Over Troubled Waters for its leadership in giving young people a positive road to follow during a time of need,” said Jerry Sargent, President, Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. “This organization truly is a Champion in Action, and we are proud to join our friends at NECN in recognizing Bridge’s many accomplishments.”

“NECN is a proud partner of the Champions in Action program,” said Bill Bridgen, general manager, NECN. “Bridge is one of the few agencies in the Boston area providing a comprehensive continuum of age-appropriate services to runaway homeless and high-risk youth. We are delighted to help build awareness of its critical work.”

Launched in 2002, Champions in Action is a joint initiative of Citizens Bank and NECN to recognize and support nonprofit organizations for their contributions to communities across the Commonwealth. This year – 2012 – marks the 10th anniversary of the program, which has awarded nearly $1 million in grants and promotional support to 38 nonprofits in Massachusetts.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters is being recognized for:

  • Helping more than 2,500 homeless and vulnerable youth in the greater Boston area annually;
  • Providing a comprehensive range of direct services designed to support sustainable behavior changes that enable high-risk individuals to move toward health and independence;
  • Offering programs and services including Street Outreach; Mobile Medical Van, Healthcare and Dental Services; Counseling and Substance Abuse Services; Education and Career Development; Runaway Services; and Residential and Shelter Services;
  • Touching the lives of more than 85,000 homeless and high-risk youth since 1970;
  • Standing as a leader and pioneer in tackling the growing issue of youth homelessness.

As a Champion in Action, Bridge Over Troubled Waters will receive:

  • A $35,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Charitable Foundation;
  • Media coverage from NECN, including public service announcements and television profiles;
  • Volunteer support from Citizens and NECN colleagues;
  • Public relations support, including advertising in all 257 branches across Massachusetts and messaging on DCN and ATM screens;
  • Exposure on both Citizens Bank and NECN websites.

“We are very excited to receive this honor,” said Robb Zarges, executive director, Bridge Over Troubled Waters. “At Bridge, we believe every kid deserves a chance. The support from Citizens Bank and NECN comes at an important time in our organization’s history. It will help our youth reach their full potential and transition safely into independence.”

Applications for the second 2012 Champion in Action in the category of neighborhood revitalization are due Friday, March 2, at 5 p.m. The winner will be announced in July. Eligible nonprofits should apply online at www.citizensbank.com/community/champions.

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 257 branches and 817 ATMs in Massachusetts.

RBS Citizens, N.A., is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $131 billion commercial bank holding company. It is headquartered in Providence, R.I., and, through its subsidiaries, has more than 1,500 branches, approximately 3,900 ATMs and more than 20,000 colleagues. Its two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 12-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, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in more than 30 states. CFG is owned by RBS (the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).

About NECN
NECN is the largest regional news network in the country, serving more than 3.7 million homes in more than 1,000 cities and towns throughout New England. Launched in 1992, NECN is owned by Comcast and provides 24-hour access to breaking news, sports, weather and traffic. The award-winning NECN is a two-time winner of the Associated Press’s News Station of the Year award and a recipient of the 2009 Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. Visit necn.com for more information.