04/06/2017

Citizens Bank Announces $535,000 in Contributions to Organizations in Massachusetts through the Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money Initiative

BOSTON -- As part of its ongoing commitment to give consumers the confidence and tools they need to be fiscally healthy, Citizens Bank announced today that 15 nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts will receive $535,000 in contributions as part of the Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money financial literacy initiative.

 

Leveraging the financial expertise of its bankers and its partnerships with local nonprofits focused on financial education, the Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money program this year provides $1.4 million in donations to 80 nonprofits and volunteer outreach by more than 400 trained Citizens colleagues to teach financial literacy in communities throughout the bank’s footprint.

 

Throughout the year, Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money is expected to improve the financial acumen of more than 260,000 Americans seeking a better understanding of financial topics ranging from the basics of checking accounts to the intricacies of household budgeting and long-term financial planning.

 

Citizens has launched a new Financial Fundamentals hub on its website (www.content.citizensbank.com/financialfundamentals) to provide consumers with information on budgeting and saving, home ownership, protecting identity, and more. The bank is also inviting those interested in learning more about money management to join a “Make It Count” challenge on its Facebook page throughout the month of April to learn and share tips about topics such as goal-setting, saving, and managing credit.

 

“Learning how to manage money is the first step individuals can take in achieving their financial goals,” said Jerry Sargent, president, Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. “With Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money, we are providing resources to give our fellow citizens the confidence and tools they need to budget, save, invest and be fiscally healthy.”

 

The Economic Empowerment Trust Fund, created by State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, will receive an award from Citizens Bank for the second year to support the Women’s Economic Empowerment Series. The series focuses on wage negotiation, money management, retirement, and investment strategies for women of all ages, ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and levels of fiscal knowledge. Citizens Bank Ambassadors will facilitate a number of workshops as part of the series in Springfield, Worcester, Brockton and Melrose reaching approximately 600 women. 

"Our office supports women through educational workshops that focus on wage negotiation, money management, and sound investment strategies," said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. "I am delighted to partner with Citizens Bank bringing our Women’s Economic Empowerment Series to women throughout the entire state."

Nonprofit organizations from across the bank’s 11-state footprint were chosen in a competitive application process based on their track record of success providing financial education programs, clear and measurable goals for the program, and the ability to incorporate sustainability in their program plans.

 

The funding recipients in Massachusetts:

  • Boston Children’s Museum - to support Money Matters 2.0, a financial literacy program for children in grades K-3.
  • Camp Harbor View – to support teaching financial literacy to the Leaders In Training (LIT) program (14-18 year olds), “bankers @ camp day,” and parent/family workshops.
  • uAspire Inc. – to support “Afford” and “Succeed”, financial literacy programs that provide students and families with information and support to make informed financial decisions about higher education.
  • United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley – to support the Financial Empowerment Learning Institute (FELI) which offers introductory and advanced sessions in financial coaching.
  • Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, Inc. – to support the FaB Factor program, a financial literacy program for girls in grades K-12 living in under-served communities.
  • Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance, Inc. – to support the Homeownership University which provides homebuyers and homeowners counseling and resources.
  • Economic Empowerment Trust Fund – to support the Women's Economic Empowerment Series, educational workshops that focus on wage negotiation, money management, retirement, and investment strategies for women.
  • Teach For America – to support the Financial Education Series, a financial literacy program that will equip teachers with the skills and training they need for the classroom.
  • Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, Inc. – to support the Dollars & Sense Financial Program that will teach basic budgeting, banking, credit management/repair, and asset building skills to 220 adults. 
  • Way Finders, Inc. – to support the Financial Capabilities Program, which helps low and moderate income residents of western Massachusetts progress along the path to economic self-sufficiency and independence.
  • Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc. – to support a financial literacy program designed to promote and preserve stable homeownership, educate families in financial capability coursework, and assist low-income families to find or retain rental housing.
  • Urban Edge Housing Corporation – to support financial literacy programs for participants of First-Time Homebuyer Classes and Credit Counseling Boot Camp sessions. 
  • Local Initiatives Support Corporation – to support Accelerate Boston, a unique business start-up program designed to foster a community of socially motivated business leaders from Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.
  • The Neighborhood Developers – to support CONNECT, a financial education program designed to help clients, who are primarily low-skilled immigrants, find a job, improve employment skills, and manage household finances.
  • Oak Hill Community Development Center – to support financial literacy workshops that cover budgeting, foreclosure prevention, money management, credit repair, bankruptcy support and asset rebuilding services.

Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money is part of the bank’s broader Citizens Helping Citizens program, which addresses four key areas: hunger, economic development, financial education and volunteerism. 

For additional information on Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money, visit Citizens’ website. 

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $149.5 billion in assets as of December 31, 2016. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens helps its retail customers “bank better” with mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,200 Citizens Bank branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Citizens also provides wealth management, mortgage lending, auto lending, student lending and commercial banking services in select markets nationwide. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers corporate, institutional and not-for-profit clients a full range of wholesale banking products and services including lending and deposits, capital markets, treasury services, foreign exchange and interest hedging, leasing and asset finance, specialty finance and trade finance.

Citizens operates through its subsidiaries Citizens Bank, N.A., and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania as Citizens Bank, Citizens Commercial Banking and Citizens One. Additional information about Citizens and its full line of products and services can be found at www.citizensbank.com.