Citizens Announces $128,000 in Financial Empowerment Contributions

CLEVELAND – Nine nonprofit organizations in Ohio will receive support from Citizens to help those they serve make informed financial decisions through a set of contributions. Through the bank’s Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money program, these nonprofits will receive a total of $128,000 to support work in this critical area across the state.

“We believe that having strong financial knowledge is essential to each one of us realizing our potential,” said James Malz, Midwest regional market executive, Citizens. “Through our support of financial empowerment programming we provide members of our communities with the confidence and tools they need to own their financial success.”

This years’ funding recipients in Ohio include:

• East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation
• Empowering and Strengthening Ohio's People
• Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
• Hebrew Free Loan Association of Northeast Ohio
• Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland
• Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio
• Phe'be Foundation
• United Way of Summit and Medina
• University Circle Inc.

“We couldn’t do what we do without philanthropic help because we actually lose money on every loan that we make,” said Michal Marcus, CEO of HFLA of Northeast Ohio. “The bank understands how important it is to help our clients become financially solvent, and for some of them to, for the first time, be part of the banked community.’’

Across the communities it serves, the bank will provide over $1.5 million in contributions to 97 nonprofits in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. The initiative helps the community by supporting programs that give people the confidence and tools they need to budget, save, invest, be financially healthy and inspire them to pursue their goals.

For additional information on Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money, visit Citizens’ website.