Charter One Bank launches ‘Tools for School’ program in Chicago
Campaign encourages donation of school supplies to fill 3,000 backpacks for disadvantaged childrenCHICAGO (August 7, 2006) - Charter One Bank today announced the launch of “Tools for School,” a new initiative designed to provide 3,000 children in need throughout the Chicago area with all the supplies necessary to succeed in the classroom this year.
From August 7 through 20, Charter One Bank is asking for the support of the community to donate a variety of back-to-school staples – including pencils, notebook paper, folders, glue sticks and crayons – at all Charter One Bank branches in Chicago and its suburbs. The bank will provide 3,000 new backpacks and work with Metropolitan Family Services, a leading human services organization serving the Chicago area, to fill them with the collected school supplies and distribute them to local children preparing to enter first through the twelfth grade.
“Back-to-school shopping becomes more expensive each year,” said Christine Noel, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Charter One Bank. “Unfortunately, there are thousands of local families for whom even the most basic of school supplies is considered a luxury. Through Charter One’s ‘Tools for School’ program, we hope to help children in need start the school year with all of the necessary tools to succeed and thrive in the classroom.”
Concert-goers at the Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island also will have the chance to drop off supplies or make monetary donations to the “Tools for School” program during August concerts, including Mary J. Blige, Ben Harper, Marc Anthony and Willie Nelson. Bank representatives will be on hand to accept donations at the Charter One Bank tent, located just inside the admission gates.
“Seemingly small items such as new notebooks or folders can go a long way toward helping children feel confident and prepared as they walk into their classrooms on the first day of school,” said Richard Jones, President and CEO of Metropolitan Family Services. “We’re pleased to work with Charter One on this special program designed to ensure that 3,000 Chicago students will have an improved chance at higher grades and an all-around more enjoyable experience this school year.”
Midway Moving and Storage, Inc. will donate transportation services and all of the in-branch collection boxes used for the “Tools for School” program. Said Midway’s President and CEO Jerry I. Siegel: “We are proud to join Charter One Bank to play a role in an initiative that will benefit so many children in the Chicago area. Giving back to the community through charitable efforts is always a priority for us.”
About Charter One Bank, N.A.
Charter One Bank, N.A., is a $41 billion bank operating in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. It has 480 branches and more than 800 ATMs. It has 128 branches and 389 ATMs in Illinois. Charter One 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 3,700 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).
About Metropolitan Family Services
For almost 150 years, Metropolitan Family Services has been providing and mobilizing a wide range of programs and services to help strengthen families and communities in Chicago and the suburbs. Metropolitan Family Services provides support in the areas of child and youth development, counseling and mental health, child welfare, financial literacy, legal aid, and services for older adults and their families. Eighty-five cents of every dollar Metropolitan Family Services receives is spent on direct client services. Each year, more than 55,000 families and individuals receive counseling and other supportive services that build on their strengths and capacities; hundreds of thousands more families benefit from Metropolitan's social policy and advocacy efforts. Visit the Metropolitan Family Services Web site at www.metrofamily.org.
About Midway Moving and Storage, Inc.
Midway Moving and Storage, Inc. is the number-one rated residential and commercial relocation and storage company in Chicagoland. The company is comprised of dedicated professionals, committed to providing superior service, accurate planning and cost-effective moving and storage services.
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