07/01/2013
Citizens Bank Foundation provides $60,000 in grants to regional food banks across New York to help fight childhood hunger during the summer
Grants are part of the "Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger" initiative
ALBANY, N.Y. (June 25, 2013) – To help children throughout New York gain access to free nutritional meals this summer, the Citizens Bank Foundation is donating $60,000 to regional food banks across the state as part of its "Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger" initiative.
"Many families are facing challenging times and their budgets are stretched to the breaking point," said James P. Gaspo, President, Citizens Bank and RBS Citizens, New York. "By supporting the regional food banks in their efforts to fight hunger by providing kids with nutritious meals and snacks, we can play a role in making sure children have access to healthy food options throughout the summer months."
Since 2007, the Citizens Bank Foundation has donated more than $450,000 to food banks throughout New York to help feed hungry neighbors in need.
"During the summer months children who typically participate in free or subsidized school breakfast and lunch programs no longer have this nutritional safety net to rely upon," said Mark Quandt, Executive Director of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. "We are grateful that Citizens Bank recognizes the need for local food banks is even more pronounced during the summer months. This grant from the Citizens Bank Foundation will enable us to fill the void and ensure children have an enjoyable summer and a good start to the school year come fall."
The Food Banks receiving grants from the Citizens Bank Foundation are:
- Food Bank for Westchester
- Food Bank of Central New York
- Food Bank of the Southern Tier
- Food Bank of Western New York
- Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger is part of the bank's broader Citizens Helping Citizens program addressing five key areas: hunger, housing, economic development, financial education and volunteerism. Get more information about Citizens Bank's community initiatives online.
About Citizens Helping Citizens
Grounded in the belief that a good bank gives back to its community and to the people who live there, Citizens Helping Citizens is a program embracing the community goals of RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. – the commercial bank holding company serving consumer and small business customers as Citizens Bank and Charter One and commercial banking customers as RBS Citizens. The Citizens Helping Citizens program comprises five key initiatives supported directly by RBSCFG and also by its nonprofit charitable foundations, the Citizens Charitable Foundation, the Citizens Bank Foundation and the Charter One Foundation: Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger, Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter, Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities (economic development), Citizens Helping Citizens Teach Money Management (financial education) and Citizens Helping Citizens Give (volunteerism and colleague charitable donations). Across all of these initiatives, Citizens Helping Citizens strives to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities.
