05/22/2014
Citizens Bank and Volunteer NH recognize Anita Huse with Good Citizen Award
$250 donation made in Huse’s honor to The Upper Room
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Citizens Bank and Volunteer NH have named Dr. Anita Huse Ed.D a “Good Citizen” for her outstanding commitment to the Derry community. The Good Citizen Award honors people who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to volunteerism and, through their efforts, strengthen the communities where they live and work. As part of the award, a $250 donation is being made in Huse’s honor to The Upper Room.
“Anita has been tremendous in making families at The Upper Room feel at ease,” said Evan Labell, Citizens Bank Derry branch manager. “Her generous spirit exemplifies the kind of individuals we seek to recognize through the Good Citizen Awards. We are proud to work with Volunteer NH to showcase people like Anita and the tremendous work they do in our New Hampshire communities.”
Since the beginning of the economic downturn, the number of people turning to food pantries has steadily increased. In response, Anita worked to secure more support from the Derry community for the influx of new families relying on The Upper Room’s services by initiating food drives, soliciting financial support and personally contacting local business to encourage them to donate.
"Working with someone as wonderfully friendly, sincere and caring as Anita is an immense pleasure,” said Ruth Kay, an Upper Room staffer. “Her dedication to improving the lives of families in the Derry community sets an example for all the volunteers at The Upper Room.”
Anita has volunteered for The Upper Room for 13 years. Her uninterrupted service includes a wide range of tasks, including staffing the organization’s weekly bingo fundraiser as well as at community events like Derryfest, the town’s annual family celebration.
Anita has also provided free CPR classes for staff and families for 10 years and collaborated with other volunteers to write a food pantry policy. In addition, she and her husband purchased both a portable canopy for outdoor events and a freezer for The Upper Room’s food pantry.
“We are thrilled to honor Anita, whose compassion and tenacity is inspiring,” said Gretchen Berger-Wabuti, executive director at Volunteer NH. “Given her exemplary service, we are pleased to be able to contribute to the ongoing success of The Upper Room.”
Volunteer NH, a nonprofit organization that promotes volunteerism and service in New Hampshire, sponsors and supports national service initiatives such as AmeriCorps. It also provides training, a volunteer matching service and volunteer-recognition programs.
The Good Citizen Award is part of Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities, the bank’s program designed to contribute to the economic vitality of the communities it serves. The awards will be presented on a monthly basis through November 2014, when all of this year’s Good Citizens will be honored at the Spirit of New Hampshire Awards ceremony.
Good Citizen Award nominations can be made online at www.volunteernh.org. Nominations are evaluated based on the long-term impact of the nominee’s service and how they have inspired others to get involved or contributed to a culture of volunteerism. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Questions may be directed to Charles Caldwell, administrative outreach officer, Volunteer NH, at 603.271.7200 or by sending an email to [email protected].
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 is composed of five key initiatives supported directly by RBSCFG and 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.
