Dress for Success named Champion in Action in Massachusetts
Citizens Bank and NECN provide $25,000 grant, PR and volunteer supportBOSTON (April 10, 2008) - Citizens Bank and NECN today named Dress for Success Boston a Champion in Action® in Massachusetts under the category of workforce development. The nonprofit organization assists low-income women entering or re-entering the workplace by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools to help them become financially independent.
“Dress for Success Boston empowers women to succeed and advance in the workplace,” said Robert E. Smyth, president, Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. “We are honored to join NECN in recognizing the positive impact Dress for Success Boston has on its clients, their families and our community.”
Since 2001, Dress for Success Boston has helped nearly 3,000 women obtain and retain employment through partnerships with local welfare to work agencies, battered women’s shelters, homeless shelters and organizations that help new immigrants acclimate to the United States.
Women are given one business suit for interviews and additional clothing when they become employed. In addition, Dress for Success Boston offers the Professional Women’s Group, a free service to clients who have successfully gained employment. Group members meet with other clients and working professionals to discuss topics ranging from understanding corporate culture to managing personal finances and childcare issues.
“We are delighted to join Citizens Bank in recognizing Dress for Success for the wonderful work it does helping women prepare for, and maintain, rewarding careers,’’ said NECN President and General Manager Charles J. Kravetz. “We are honored to be able to tell its story and, especially, the stories of its clients.’’
Dress for Success Boston is being recognized for:
• Providing professional clothing and accessories to disadvantaged women who are seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce.
• Recruiting a dedicated team of volunteers who work to ensure each client’s needs are met while treating them with dignity and respect.
• Establishing the Career Corner program that assists clients with resume writing, job searching and interviewing skills.
• Recognizing the need for a support system like the Professional Women’s Group that offers information to clients who are trying to navigate through the workforce for the first time or after being out of it for a period of time.
• Creating the opportunity for women to support the organization’s mission by providing them with a venue to donate their gently used suits and business attire knowing the clothes will be put to good use.
As a Champion in Action, Dress for Success Boston receives:
• A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation.
• Media coverage from NECN, including public service announcements, news stories and segments on other NECN programs such as NewsNight and New England Business Day.
• Volunteer support from Citizens and NECN employees.
• Extensive public relations support.
• Promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in all Citizens Bank branches and on its ATMs.
• Exposure on both Citizens Bank and NECN Web sites.
“All of us at Dress for Success Boston are extremely grateful to be the recipient of
this award from Citizens Bank and NECN,” said Kimberly Todd, Executive Director, Dress for Success Boston. “It will dramatically increase awareness of our organization within the community and will help us reach out to agencies that may not know about the work we do, therefore creating new partnerships and increasing the number of women we serve. We are truly honored to be considered a Champion in Action.”
Since introducing the program in 2002, Citizens has awarded 23 Massachusetts organizations $575,000.
To learn more about Dress for Success Boston, please visit www.dressforsuccess.org/boston.
About Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank is a division of RBS Citizens, N.A., operating its seven-state branch network in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. It has 263 branches and 608 ATMs in Massachusetts.
RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $160 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. 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 NECN
NECN is the largest 24-hour regional news network in the country, with 3.7 million subscribers in more than 1,050 cities and towns in all six New England states. It is a partnership of Comcast and the Hearst Corporation. The station specializes in long-form journalism, producing documentaries and extensive local and national political coverage. For more information on NECN, go to www.necn.com.
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