Citizens Bank Rhode Island launches "Tools for School" program in partnership with 92 PRO-FM
More than 12,000 children in Rhode Island to receive aid; nearly 20,000 will be served throughout New EnglandPROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 26, 2007) - Providence, R.I. – Citizens Bank and Recycling for Rhode Island Education have launched the fifth annual “Tools for School” program in partnership with 92 PRO-FM, announced Joseph J. MarcAurele, Chairman, President, and CEO of Citizens Bank of Rhode Island. The three-week collection program will run through August 10.
Citizens’ Tools for School program is an effort to collect new school supplies at its branches across Rhode Island for disadvantaged children to take back to school. The Citizens Bank Foundation, through a grant to Rhode Island Recycling for Education, is supplying more than 12,000 non-logo backpacks to stuff with the donated school supplies to distribute to Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs and community groups throughout the state. The program runs July 23 through August 10 with backpacks being distributed to children the week of August 22.
“Many of us are fortunate to remember the feeling of excitement and anticipation that came every summer preparing to return to school…shopping for everything new from shoes to clothes to school supplies,” said MarcAurele. “Unfortunately, there are thousands of children who never know that feeling because for them, school supplies are a luxury. That’s why Citizens designed the Tools for School program to help them prepare for a year of learning by providing the tools they will need to succeed in school.”
Recycling for Rhode Island Education is a non-profit educational and environmental organization committed to active participation in teaching and learning through creative experiences. RRIE will be working with non-profits throughout the state to distribute the 12,000 backpacks to children in-need across the state.
"We are delighted to have this opportunity to expand our service to students throughout Rhode Island,” said Kathleen Fresher-Samways, RRIE Coordinator, Tools for School.
“Through this partnership, RRIE will be able to assist Citizens Bank in getting more backpacks to more students, at the same time raising awareness about the resources and materials for community programs that are available at the Recycle Center."
For the fifth year, Citizens Bank has partnered with Citadel Communications – Giovanni and Kim in the Morning at 92 PRO-FM – and Coast to Coast Promotional Products to promote this program and encourage Citizens’ customers and the general public to donate new school supplies.
Throughout the three-week collection, 92 PRO-FM personalities will appear at three different Citizens Bank branch locations across the state to promote the collection:
Saturday, July 28
92 PRO-FM’s Davey Morris will appear at the North Kingstown Stop & Shop Branch
10am to Noon
Saturday, August 4
92 PRO-FM’s Kim Zandy will appear at the Taunton Avenue Branch in East Providence
9 to 11am
Saturday, August 11
92 PRO-FM’s Giovanni at the Plainfield Pike Branch in Cranston
9 to 11am
92 PRO-FM listeners and Citizens Bank customers will be encouraged to help “fill the bin” with new school supplies at each location.
“92 PRO-FM is pleased to partner with Citizens Bank on Tools for School,” said Tony Bristol, Operations Manager at Citadel Broadcasting. “This program is a great fit for us and we encourage our listeners to participate by dropping off new school supplies. It really will make a difference for children in need.”
Nearly 20,000 backpacks will be distributed by Citizens throughout New England as part of this year’s “Tools for School” program.
For questions about the program, contact Amie Picard, Public Relations Manager for Citizens Bank at (401) 456-7635.
About Citizens Bank of Rhode Island
Citizens Bank of Rhode Island, with $14 billion in assets, 77 branches and 144 ATMs, has the largest branch banking network in Rhode Island. 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 a 13-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 Recycling for Rhode Island Education
Recycling for RI Education is a women-initiated and operated 501(c)3 non-profit educational and environmental organization. Its vision is to encourage self-discovery by active participation in teaching and learning through creative experiences. RRIE has as its mission to encourage preservation of the environment by diverting clean non-toxic reusable excess inventory from the business community to educators and community organizations. They truck donated materials to a central warehouse in Providence, and redistribute them to schools, individual teachers, and other non-profit organizations, such as Boys & Girls Club, day care providers for children and the elderly, after school programs and many other groups in need of basic supplies for hands-on learning and art programs.
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