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Village of the Arts and Humanities named Champion in Action in greater Philadelphia
Organization receives $25,000 grant and other benefitsPHILADELPHIA (July 17, 2007) - Four of the region’s foremost corporate leaders announced today that the Village of Arts and Humanities has been named greater Philadelphia’s latest Champion in Action in recognition of its programs that use the arts and various cultural traditions to improve the human and social conditions for the residents of the Fairhill-Hartranft community of North Philadelphia. Over the next three months, the Village 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, 13 Champions have been selected.
“Citizens Bank is pleased to join NBC 10, Greater Philadelphia Cares, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News in naming the Village of Arts and Humanities our latest Champion in Action,” said Pamela A. Crawley, Senior Vice President and Director of Public Affairs for Citizens Bank. “Through its imaginative use of the arts, the Village has built a compelling and highly effective program that facilitates neighborhood engagement and revitalization.”
“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 the Village of Arts and Humanities, that do so much good work in communities across our region. Each year, by touching more than 7,000 lives, the Village is able to have a powerful and lasting impact on the landscape and residents of this section of North Philadelphia.”
“With only a small staff and limited financing, the Village has been able to harness the support of more than 600 volunteers and community members to help restore homes, beautify parks and gardens and engage area youth,” said Brian Tierney, CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and philly.com. “The Village has also become a safe and trusted place for residents to come together to discuss and resolve broader community issues.”
Bianchi, Crawley, Ed Mahlman of Philadelphia Newspapers LLC and Suzanne Becker, CEO of Greater Philadelphia Cares, surprised the Village of Arts and Humanities 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 the Village,” said Becker. “Greater Philadelphia Cares is proud to recognize its efforts and pledge our support to the agency.”
Some of the statistics that demonstrate the successes of the Village of Arts and Humanities:
• Impacts approximately 7,000 youth and families with the help of over 600 volunteers.
• The Village’s Urban Landscaping Team maintains over 200 vacant lots that make up nearly 750,000 square feet of land
• Will be sending four youth from the various arts programs to South Africa this summer.
• Its Learning Through the Arts program provides school leadership development programs for youth ages 9 to 13 with a current enrollment of 84 students. Free classes include vocal arts, videography, step classes and the visual arts.
“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 Kumani Gantt, Executive Director of the Village of Arts and Humanities. “The Village is blessed with a great staff, terrific volunteers and a community that is dedicated to improving the neighborhood. 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, the Village of Arts and Humanities 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 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 the Village of Arts and Humanities, visit www.villagearts.org or call (215) 225-7830. The Village is located at 2544 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, 19133.
About the Village of Arts and Humanities
Founded in 1986, the Village of Arts and Humanities has been striving to improve the human and social conditions for the residents of the Fairhill-Hartranft community of North Philadelphia. The Village takes a unique approach by engaging residents in community development and leadership programs that are infused with the arts and various cultural traditions. Each year, more than 7,000 youth and families are impacted by its programs.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a $34 billion state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has approximately 400 branches, more than 660 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 13 retail branches and 26 ATMs in southern New Jersey and a commercial loan office in Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $161 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,100 ATMs and more than 25,000 employees. It has a13-state retail branch network plus 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 September 30, 2006. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
About NBC 10
NBC 10, one of 10 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. NBC 10’s 4 p.m. news ─ “All That & More” ─ is the only fully interactive news program in the region. 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 received 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 unmatched marketing power to provide millions of readers investigative news, lifestyle information and shopping opportunities found nowhere else.
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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