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Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation is new Champion in Action in Pittsburgh
Agency receives $25,000 grant, volunteer and promotional supportPITTSBURGH (January 16, 2008) - Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV today named the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation as their first quarter Champion in Action under the category of affordable housing. The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, which is committed to working toward the reduction of abandoned, vacant homes that produce a blighting effect on our neighborhoods, will receive a $25,000 grant from the Citizens Bank Foundation and extensive volunteer and promotional support from Citizens Bank, WPXI-TV and Pittsburgh Cares.
“Citizens Bank is pleased to join WPXI-TV in naming the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation as our newest Champion in Action,” said Ralph J. Papa, Chairman of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. “Under the leadership of Executive Director Richard Swartz, this tremendous organization has made great strides in the reshaping of the physical, economic and social condition of the Garfield community.”
“As an organization committed to the community, WPXI-TV is proud to partner with Citizens Bank to honor the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation,” said Ray Carter, WPXI-TV’s general manager. “On behalf of WPXI-TV, I congratulate the leadership, staff and volunteers of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation. Through their hard work and dedication the community has realized a dramatic decline in nuisance properties and residents now have a pathway to create wealth through ownership.”
Through Champions in Action, Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV recognize and support nonprofit organizations for the contributions these groups make to communities in the Pittsburgh region. A new Champion in Action is selected each quarter among a range of social service areas.
As a Champion in Action, the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation receives:
• $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation.
• Media coverage from WPXI-TV, including public service announcements and TV profile.
• Volunteer support from Pittsburgh Cares and Citizens and WPXI-TV employees.
• Extensive public relations support.
• Promotional support, highlighting the organization in all Citizens Bank branches.
• Exposure on both Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV Web sites.
What makes the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation a Champion in Action?
• Through the Housing Development & Management program, the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation has developed new and renovated housing that retains working-class households in our community and eliminates blighting influences.
• The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation has taken on the task of increasing the supply of modern, affordable housing, particularly in the Garfield neighborhood. Through the renovation of existing stock, the demolition and rebuilding of vacant homes and extensive credit counseling efforts, families who once lived in substandard housing now enjoy affordable, three-bedroom single-family homes.
• Since the program’s inception in 1983, the agency has renovated and built more than 200 units of rental and owner-occupied properties and plan to construct another 90 units in the next four years.
“We are honored to be recognized as a Champion in Action,” said Richard Swartz, executive director of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation. “At the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, we believe that we can positively impact the quality of life for our residents by changing the face of housing in our community.”
In addition to the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation the following organizations have been selected as Champions in Action since the program was introduced in western Pennsylvania in 2004: Wilkinsburg Community Ministry, Aliquippa Alliance for Unity and Development, Beginning with Books, The Neighborhood Academy, HEARTH, Human Services Center Corporation, Washington Community Arts and Cultural Center, Rainbow Kitchen Community Services, Sojourner House MOMS, Little Sisters of the Poor, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, Health Hope Network, and YouthPlaces.
To learn more about the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, located at 5149 Penn Avenue, call 412.441-6950 or visit www.bloomfield-garfield.org.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has approximately 400 branches and 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 $159 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I.
Citizens Financial Group, through its subsidiaries, has more than 1,600 branches, 3,300 ATMs and 24,500 employees. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 13-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, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. It is one of the 10 largest commercial banking companies in the United States ranked by assets and deposits. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
About WPXI
WPXI-TV is a Cox Television station in the Pittsburgh television market. Cox Television includes 15 television stations, three national television sales representation firms, a television production company, and a Washington, D.C. news office. Cox Television is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., based in Atlanta. WPXI-TV’s Web site is wpxi.com.
About Pittsburgh Cares
Pittsburgh Cares, founded in 1992, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing community engagement through volunteerism and enhancing the impact of regional service partners. In 2006-07, Pittsburgh Cares coordinated more than 950 volunteer projects. Pittsburgh Cares volunteer network has provided more than 44,500 hours of service over the past year and with an average of 217 new volunteers per month, our impact continues to grow stronger. Pittsburgh Cares coordinates three specialized programs: Youth Engaged in Service (YES), Campus Cares, and Business Cares. YES is an outreach program that connects youth under 18 year of age to volunteer opportunities. Campus Cares works with the local college community including Greek Life, student organizations, individual students, and faculty/staff to connect them to a wide variety of volunteer and service-learning opportunities. Business Cares coordinates employee volunteer programming for small, mid-size and large companies in Greater Pittsburgh through customized contracts. For more information on Pittsburgh Cares, please log onto www.pittsburghcares.org or call 412-471-2114.
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