News

Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire named 2009
Champion in Action in area of Youth Programming

Citizens Bank and WMUR-TV to provide $25,000 grant, PR and volunteer support

MANCHESTER, N.H. January 2009 – Citizens Bank New Hampshire and WMUR-TV have named Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire as their 2009 first quarter Champion in Action®in the area of youth programming. As part of the award, Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire will receive a $25,000 grant, media coverage, and extensive promotional and volunteer support for its commitment to inspiring girls throughout New Hampshire to achieve their personal best.

Sherry Nannis, WMUR-TV, Catherine Duffy Culllity, CEO, Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, Cathleen A. Schmidt, President, Citizens Bank, New Hampshire.

“Citizens Bank is pleased to join WMUR-TV in naming Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire as the newest Champion in Action,” said Cathleen A. Schmidt, President, Citizens Bank, New Hampshire. “By providing financial, marketing, and volunteer support, we can assist this Champion in advancing its programs and services. Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire provides girls with the resources they need to thrive in all aspects of their lives as they transition into adulthood. We congratulate the organization’s efforts, and we are proud to contribute to its success.”  

The Champions in Action program is designed to recognize and support nonprofit organizations for their contributions to New Hampshire communities. A new Champion in Action is selected each quarter among a range of social service areas.

“Sharing in this initiative with Citizens Bank continues to be a source of great pride," said Jeff Bartlett, General Manager of WMUR-TV. “We are very pleased to help out organizations across the state that demonstrate such a strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of so many New Hampshire residents. They truly are champions.”
 
Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire began in 1974 as a small club in Nashua. Today, the organization serves more than 8,000 girls each year, enabling them to gain a strong sense of community and belonging. Dedicated to developing girls’ confidence, intelligence, and leadership abilities, the organization offers enrichment and prevention programming in schools and during out-of-school hours at its four regional Girls’ Centers in Nashua, Manchester, Concord and Rochester.

Back Row: L to R - Nicole Power, Nashua Regional Dir., Graham Griffin, Seacoast Regional Dir., Jennifer Indeglia, COO, Sherry Nannis, WMUR-TV, Catherine Duffy Cullity, CEO, Cathleen Schmidt, Pres., Citizens Bank. Front Row: L to R - Kelly Hurtado, Manchester Regional Dir.,Katie Andrews, VP Finance, Christine Mathieu, VP Human Resources, Pat Barss, VP Volunteer Recruitment and Events, Katie Manson, Concord Regional Dir, Sue Dupont, VP Development and Communications.

Striving to meet the basic needs of the community, Girls Inc. offers working families a safe, secure place to send their daughters, the expertise they need to help combat issues such as bullying and sexual harassment, and a supportive environment where they become involved in exciting, hands-on enrichment programs including Girls Under the Hood (auto mechanics), Materials Girls (power tools) and Build IT (website design).

Named a model for growth from its national organization, Girls Inc. of New Hampshire has also been recognized for offering a safe environment with year-round researched-based programs just for girls, arming them with the skills and confidence they need to succeed.

 As a Champion in Action, Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire will receive:

• A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation.
• Media coverage from WMUR-TV, including public service announcements and television profiles.
• Volunteer support from Citizens and WMUR-TV employees.
• Extensive public relations support.
• Promotional support, highlighting the current “Champion in Action” in all Citizens Bank branches and on its ATMs.
• Exposure on both Citizens Bank and WMUR-TV Web sites.

“We are honored to be recognized by Citizens Bank and WMUR as a Champion in Action,” said Catherine Duffy Cullity, Chief Executive Officer of Girls Inc. New Hampshire. “This award will enable Girls Inc. to continue to not only expand its quality programs to reach more girls, but also to increase the organization’s visibility as we address the critical needs affecting girls in our communities. Additionally, we are confident this award will help us increase our financial resources to sustain and grow our programs and services well into the future and to provide our girls with a support system of positive role models.”

A nonprofit organization supporting housing will be named for the second quarter Champion in Action in April 2009.

For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit Citizens website or WMUR-TV9. To learn more about Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire, click here or call (603) 625-1296, toll-free in New Hampshire: 1-800-775-9372. Girls Incorporated of New Hampshire is located at 815 Elm Street, Suite 4A, Manchester, NH 03101.

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 78 branches and 158 ATMs in New Hampshire.

RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $161 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 WMUR-TV
WMUR-TV (Ch. 9) is an ABC-TV affiliate headquartered in Manchester, N.H., and is owned and managed by Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., one of the nation's largest television station groups. WMUR-TV is New Hampshire's largest commercial TV station, reaching more than a million people. Founded in 1954, the station's news, feature and sports coverage has won numerous awards for professional and journalistic excellence. WMUR-TV is considered the broadcast news source of record for New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary election. WMUR-TV provides online news and information.