Cleveland’s Magnolia Clubhouse named Champion in Action
Charter One Bank and WJW FOX 8 to provide $25,000 grant, public relations and volunteer support in recognition of excellence in community health careCLEVELAND (April 13, 2006) - Charter One Bank and WJW FOX 8 named Magnolia Clubhouse as the second quarter Champion in ActionSM winner in Ohio. As part of this award, Magnolia Clubhouse will receive a $25,000 grant, public relations and volunteer support in recognition of its outstanding commitment to providing community health care for mentally ill individuals in Cleveland.
The Champions in Action program was launched in September 2005 by Charter One and WJW FOX 8 to honor and provide support to the area’s unsung community heroes – non-profit organizations working to address the needs of Greater Cleveland.
Magnolia Clubhouse was chosen as the second quarter Champion in Action in Ohio for its exemplary work in:
- Helping individuals with mental illness become self-sufficient and engaged members of the community;
- Ensuring people recovering from mental illness are treated with respect by co-workers, neighbors, and friends; and
- Providing a meaningful opportunity and support for individuals with mental illness to work in the community and earn a competitive wage.
“Magnolia Clubhouse has created a welcoming environment for individuals recovering from mental illness to develop the skills and relationships needed to lead productive lives,” said Ned Handy, President and CEO of Charter One Bank, Ohio. “It is estimated that one in five people has a mental illness: it is so important for our community health care system to address the needs of these individuals.”
“We applaud Magnolia Clubhouse for its tireless efforts in supporting the needs of the mental health community in Cleveland and are proud to name it our Champion in Action,” Handy said.
Handy and Mike Renda, Vice President and General Manager of WJW FOX 8, surprised Magnolia Clubhouse and its members, community supporters and staffwith a check for an unrestricted $25,000 grant.
“WJW FOX 8 is proud to partner with Charter One Bank to honor the Magnolia Clubhouse’s extraordinary commitment to serving individuals with mental illness in greater Cleveland,” Renda said. “The opportunity, support and hope it provides to its members make it an outstanding contributor to the community.”
As the Champion in Action, Magnolia Clubhouse will receive:
- A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Charter One Bank;
- Media coverage from WJW FOX 8, including public service announcements and news stories;
- Volunteer support from Charter One and WJW FOX 8 employees;
- Extensive public relations support;
- Promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in Charter One branches and on its ATMs; and
- Exposure on both Charter One’s and WJW FOX 8’s web sites.
“The entire community of Magnolia Clubhouse is thrilled to be recognized as a Champion in Action,” said Lori D’Angelo, Executive Director of Magnolia Clubhouse. “This honor allows more of our broader community to come to know the Clubhouse and to share our pride in our accomplishments. We are all very grateful for this opportunity to spread the word!”
A group of community leaders and representatives of WJW FOX 8 and Charter One comprise a committee which selects a Champion in Action each quarter for its work on a particular social issue. More than 25 applications were received for the second quarter award. The remaining categories for 2006 are hunger and homelessness. Applications will be accepted for homelessness until the July 7 deadline.
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 more than 490 branches and 820 ATMs.It has 166 branches in Ohio. 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 3,800 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. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
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