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Bethesda Project named Champion in Action in Philadelphia
Local homeless assistance organization receives $25,000 grant and other benefitsPHILADELPHIA (October 18, 2006) - Four of the region’s foremost corporate leaders announced today that Bethesda Project has been named greater Philadelphia’s latest Champion in Action for the fourth quarter of 2006 in recognition of its programs to bring awareness to the problem of homelessness. The organization provides support services and temporary housing to the homeless with the long-term goal that their residents achieve self-sufficiency. Bethesda Project recently introduced the Ready to Work program which helps place residents in full- and part-time jobs in Philadelphia. Over the next three months, Bethesda Project will receive a $25,000 grant, media coverage, and extensive promotional and volunteer support.
Champions in Action is an innovative program that provides various forms of support for small non-profit organizations in recognition of their contributions to communities throughout the five-county Philadelphia area. Since its inception in 2003, 10 Champions have been selected.
“Citizens Bank is pleased to join NBC 10, Greater Philadelphia Cares, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News in naming Bethesda Project our latest Champion in Action,” said Stephen D. Steinour, Chairman and CEO of Citizens Bank. “Bethesda Project is a highly regarded organization that has provided a place for the homeless to go in Philadelphia and help them to become self-sufficient.”
“NBC 10 is proud to be a partner with the Champions in Action program,” said Dennis Bianchi, President and General Manager of NBC 10. “Strong partnerships and programs such as this allow us to demonstrate our community commitment, and give us the chance to thank those local nonprofits, like Bethesda Project, that do so much good work in communities across our region. This organization ensures that the homeless have a place to turn for food and housing assistance.”
“Bethesda Project has made a major impact in Philadelphia,” said Brian Tierney, Publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and philly.com. “In addition to providing temporary housing for people in need, it provides comprehensive resources to help them back on the road to self-sufficiency.”
Bianchi, Tierney, Pamela Crawley, Senior Vice President at Citizens Bank, and Lissa Hilsee, President and CEO of Greater Philadelphia Cares, surprised Bethesda Project and its staff members by delivering the news in-person along with balloons and an oversized check for an unrestricted $25,000 grant. NBC 10’s cameras were on hand to capture the moment. It was broadcast live on the morning show “10!” today.
“Volunteer support is integral to an organization such as Bethesda Project,” said Hilsee. “Greater Philadelphia Cares is proud to recognize its efforts and pledge our support.”
Some of the statistics that demonstrate the successes of Bethesda Project:
• Bethesda Project runs 11 facilities that provide 142 units of temporary and permanent housing. On any given night, Bethesda Project houses 20 percent of Philadelphia’s homeless.
• The facilities have provided support services to more than 2,000 individuals in the past year.
• In the first six months of the Ready to Work program, 120 men have been placed in jobs and 21 have been on the job 60 days or longer.
• The City of Philadelphia has recognized the great work of Bethesda Project by asking the organization to take over one of the city’s largest homeless shelters, which has been renamed Our Brother’s Place.
• Our Brother’s Place sleeps 150 men each night and provides a day program that feeds 250 men a day, most of whom suffer from mental illness or addiction or have previously refused assistance.
“We are honored to be recognized by Citizens Bank, NBC 10, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, and Greater Philadelphia Cares as a Champion in Action,” said Angelo Sgro, Executive Director of Bethesda Project. “At Bethesda Project, residents, staff, volunteers and supporters come together as members of one family in an environment where everyone flourishes. We thank everyone at Citizens Bank, NBC 10, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, and Greater Philadelphia Cares for their support of non-profit organizations through the Champions in Action program.”
As the most recent Champion in Action award winner, Bethesda Project will receive:
• A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens Bank;
• Media coverage from NBC 10, including public service announcements and profiles;
• Advertising space in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and on Philly.com to promote both the program and the organization;
• Volunteer support from Citizens Bank, NBC 10 and Philadelphia Newspapers employees and Greater Philadelphia Cares;
• Extensive public relations support;
• Promotional support, highlighting the Champion in Action in all Citizens Bank branches;
• Exposure on the Web sites of Citizens Bank, NBC 10 and Philly.com.
• Consulting and implementation services, provided by Greater Philadelphia Cares, to leverage volunteer support that enhances impact.
To learn more about Bethesda Project, visit www.bethesdaproject.org or call 215-985-1600. Bethesda Project is located at 1630 South Street in Philadelphia.
About Bethesda Project
Founded in 1979, Bethesda Project began as a small prayer group that purchased a brownstone in Philadelphia to provide housing for 16 homeless women. Today the organization has evolved into a full-service organization supported by a staff of 117. Each year more than 1,400 volunteers prepare, deliver and serve meals, mentor residents in the Ready to Work program, adopt houses for holidays and birthdays and provide general housekeeping assistance.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a $36 billion state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has approximately 400 branches, more than 675 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 13 retail branches and 25 ATMs in southern New Jersey and a commercial loan office in Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $164 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,200 ATMs and 26,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. Citizens is the eighth-largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits and ninth in assets as of March 31, 2006. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
About NBC 10
NBC 10, one of 14 Owned & Operated NBC television stations, is located in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. Millions of viewers throughout Greater Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley, South Jersey and Delaware tune into NBC 10 everyday for the most up-to-date news, weather, sports, consumer, health and traffic reports. Viewers also tune in daily to watch the 10! Show, an upbeat, one-hour lifestyle and entertainment show featuring local, national and internationally-known celebrities. The program airs 'live' Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. Recognized as the No. 1 Web site (www.nbc10.com ) in the top 50 markets, NBC10.com was recently awarded with the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award.
About The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News
The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and philly.com together form the region’s premier newsgathering and advertising entity. Communicating in print, online and through an array of subsidiary publications, The Inquirer, the Daily News and philly.com combine world-class journalism with marketing power to provide millions of readers with investigative news, lifestyle information and shopping opportunities.
About Greater Philadelphia Cares
An award-winning non-profit, Greater Philadelphia Cares is committed to empowering individuals to realize their ability to contribute to the community in meaningful ways. By providing a variety of flexible, tangible volunteer opportunities, Greater Philadelphia Cares is continuously enhancing the ability for volunteers to serve the community.
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