04/14/2010

Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts named Champion in Action

Citizens Bank and NECN provide $25,000 grant, PR and volunteer support

BOSTON    (April 15, 2010) - Citizens Bank and NECN today announced that Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts (HGRM) has been recognized as a Champion in Action® for the second quarter of 2010 under the category of family support. HGRM is an Acton-based agency that provides donated household goods and furniture, free of charge, to individuals and families in need. It works as a direct link between those who do not have the resources to purchase household goods and those who possess usable items they no longer want. The agency accepts and distributes tables, chairs, mattresses and box springs, sofas, dressers and smaller household goods.

“Citizens Bank is proud to join NECN in naming Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts as our newest Champion in Action,” said Stephen R. Woods, President, Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. “HGRM provides furniture and household goods to help individuals and families who are transitioning through a difficult time. These items not only make a home – they provide a sense of hope and dignity and the courage to move forward towards a brighter future.”

HGRM helps people who are trying to take the next steps towards improving their lives. Clients include victims of fires or floods, women and children escaping abusive domestic situations, people coming out of halfway houses, war veterans, refugees and recent immigrants.

Through a dedicated group of volunteers and in partnership with human service agencies, commercial businesses and faith communities, HGRM is the largest provider of direct household assistance in New England, helping nearly 400 families each month furnish their homes and restart their lives.

Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts is being recognized for:

  • Being the largest provider of direct household assistance in New England.
  • Distributing more than 31,000 pieces of furniture to more than 4,000 families per year.
  • Assisting families from more than 40 communities in Eastern Massachusetts.
  • Collecting and recycling nearly 100,000 items of furniture that would have otherwise gone to landfills and transfer stations.

As a Champion in Action, Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts receives:

  • A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation.
  • Media coverage from NECN, including public service announcements, news stories and segments on other NECN programs such as Broadside: The News with Jim Braude and Business Day.
  • Volunteer support from Citizens and NECN employees.
  • Public relations support.
  • Promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in all Citizens Bank branches and on its ATM screens.
  • Exposure on both Citizens Bank and NECN Web sites.

"HGRM's success is due to the generosity of our donors - the talent and dedication of our volunteers - and the continuing need of our clients. If any link should break down, HGRM would come to a halt," said Barbara Smith, Executive Director and Co-founder of Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts.

Since introducing the program in 2002, Citizens has awarded $775,000 to 31 Massachusetts organizations. A new Champion in Action® is selected each quarter among four social service categories.

To learn more about how to contribute to Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts, please visit www.hgrm.org.

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 254 branches and 529 ATMs in Massachusetts.
 
RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $148 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. CFG’s 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 about 40 states. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
 

About NECN

NECN is the largest 24-hour regional news network in the country, with 3.7 million subscribers in more than 1,050 cities and towns in all six New England states. It is a partnership of Comcast and the Hearst Corporation. The station specializes in long-form journalism, producing documentaries and extensive local and national political coverage. For more information on NECN, go to www.necn.co