12/17/2013
Citizens Bank Foundation delivers $20,000 to help build “Healthy Blocks” in Rochester
Grant supports the “Green Neighborhood initiative” which is part of Neighborworks’® Healthy Blocks program
Rochester, N.Y. (December 17, 2013) – The Citizens Bank Foundation announced today that it has donated $20,000 to Neighborworks® Rochester to fund the Green Neighborhood initiative which is part of the organization’s Healthy Blocks program, designed to improve neighborhoods in the city. The grant is part of Citizens Bank Foundation’s “Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter” initiative.
Through Healthy Blocks, NeighborWorks® Rochester collaborates with homeowners, landlords, tenants and area businesses within targeted neighborhoods facing social and economic disinvestment, helping to transform them into “Neighborhoods of Choice.” The Healthy Blocks program will be working over the next year in the Triangle Neighborhood (bordered by Culver, Merchants and E. Main) and will be incorporating a “Green Neighborhoods” approach into the project. As part of this initiative, NeighborWorks® Rochester will educate residents on lowering their carbon footprint and improving the energy efficiency of their homes and apartments, and increase the number of property owners who make energy improvements.
“Affordable Housing has long been a priority giving area of the Citizens Bank Foundation,” said James P. Gaspo, president of Citizens Bank and RBS Citizens, New York. “One way to keep homes affordable is to make them more energy efficient. We are pleased that this grant will assist Neighborworks® Rochester in educating residents on ways to make their homes more energy efficient and directing them to the resources that will enable them to implement energy efficiency improvements in their properties.”
In addition to educating residents on energy efficiency and energy improvement resources, the Green Neighborhood initiative will also provide residents with weatherization kits that include energy efficient CFL bulbs, caulk, and weather stripping. Green focused community improvement projects such as landscaping and community gardens will also be implemented in collaboration with community residents.
“We are extremely happy to have Citizens Bank Foundation’s continued financial support and participation in the Healthy Blocks program,” said Kim Brumber, Chief Executive Office of Neighborworks® Rochester. “Through Healthy Blocks, and the Green Neighborhoods initiative, we are working with residents and community partners to implement proven strategies that will strengthen neighborhoods, improve housing conditions and enhance neighborhood branding – all in an effort to reposition them so they realize their fullest potential.”
Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter 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 at www.citizensbank.com/community.
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.
