Open Hearth of Hartford named Champion in Action
HARTFORD, Ct. (October 19, 2006) - Citizens Bank of Connecticut and WTNH, News Channel 8 of New Haven today announced that The Open Hearth of Hartford, an innovative residential living program for homeless and addicted men in recovery from Connecticut and Southern New England, has been named its fourth quarter Champion in Action.
The award was announced by Rich Barry, president of Citizens Bank and Jon Hitchcock of WTNH as part of an on-air segment during the noon newscast on WTNH earlier today.
“Citizens Bank is pleased to recognize Open Hearth as our latest Champion in Action. While, homelessness remains a very real problem in Connecticut and across our country, Open Hearth is addressing the root causes of homelessness through a compassionate and holistic approach. This outstanding organization has been improving the lives of homeless men in Connecticut for more than 120 years.”
Open Hearth is the premier provider of shelter and recovery counseling in Greater Hartford and is the oldest continuously operated facility of its kind on the East Coast. Open Hearth welcomes men throughout the entire state of Connecticut and serves a culturally diverse constituency that is mixed racially and ethnically.
Champions in Action is a partnership between Citizens Bank and WTNH launched in 2002 that is designed to provide financial support and public awareness to the non-profit organizations that are working hard every day to champion change in our communities and make life better for everyone.
Each quarter, a non-profit organization among a range of social services topics in Connecticut is chosen as a Champion in Action and receives the following support from Citizens Bank and WTNH:
• A contribution of $25,000 in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation;
• Media coverage from News Channel 8, including public service announcements and television profiles;
• Volunteer support from Citizens Bank and News Channel 8;
• Public relations support; and
• Promotional support though advertising in Citizens Bank branches, citizensbank.com and wtnh.com.
Open Hearth is being recognized for its on-going commitment to addressing homelessness throughout Connecticut. Participants in Open Hearth’s programs receive long-term housing for up to two years in addition to nutrition and addiction recovery counseling, support groups and work therapy. More than 80% of the men enrolled in Open Hearth transitional living program gain valuable work experience through their Wood Products business. Since 1920, the program has provided clients with more than just food and shelter; the business enables clients to be actively engaged, challenged and empowered.
About Citizens Bank of Connecticut
Citizens Bank of Connecticut is a $4 billion bank with 49 branches and 59 ATMs in Connecticut It is headquartered in New London. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $155 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,800 ATMs and more than 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 as of September 30, 2005. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
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