Citizens Bank Recognizes ‘Small Business Community Champions'

Citizens Bank announced its annual Small Business Community Champion Award winners in Greater Boston, Greater Cleveland, Greater Philadelphia and Greater Pittsburgh. A $20,000 prize and a $10,000 prize were awarded in each market to small business owners to celebrate the extraordinary contributions they make to strengthen their communities. This is the third annual Citizens Bank Small Business Community Champion Award, which recognizes the impact of small businesses on the communities they serve.

The 2020 Citizens Bank Small Business Community Champion Award winners and their proposed initiatives are:

· Always Here Home Care, Inc., (Boston, MA), an elder care provider that helps its caregivers increase their earning potential through job experience, childcare assistance and education.

· Wicked Cool For Kids, (Peabody, MA), an education company that specializes in customized enrichment programs in science, art, and technology for kids through 5th grade.

· Andreoli Restoration, (Cleveland, OH), a restoration company currently returning a vacant building into a useable space which will also provide for community live-music nights, interactive art, training workshops, and community meals.

· Farian Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, (Macedonia, OH), a dental practice that volunteers its services by providing free sports guards to high school athletes to help prevent injury.

· Vitris, (Philadelphia, PA), a web design firm that provides small business owners with the tools needed to compete and succeed, and will offer its services free of charge to local low-income small business owners throughout the Philadelphia area that are minority and/or woman owned.

· Common Ground Management, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA), a community-mission organization that has assisted more than 5,000 businesses nationwide establish themselves, grow and employ more members of the community.

· G.I Haul LLC, (Pittsburgh, PA), with a mission of increasing veteran business ownership, this full service junk and waste removal company puts veterans to work and helps them transition to ownership of a franchised business.

· Professional Barber Institute, (Pittsburgh, PA), provides affordable and accessible barber and entrepreneurial training to under-served residents in Pittsburgh's East End community. PBI's training is essential to creating a path for its students to achieve self-sufficiency.

“While we have been honored to offer the Small Business Champion program for the past several years, the need to support such businesses takes on an additional resonance in light of the ongoing situation,” said Jack Murphy, president of Citizens Bank Business Banking. “While they are referred to as ‘small,’ their impact is in fact much larger – enabling substantial growth, building vibrant communities, offering opportunity for employees – touching virtually every aspect of our nation’s economic and social well-being. Citizens Bank is especially proud to support this year’s winners as they continue their mission and congratulates them on their outstanding work.”

For more information, please visit www.citizensbank.businesschampion.dja.com