PHILADELPHIA (January 18, 2006) - Three of the region^s foremost corporate leaders announced today that To Our Children^s Future With Health, Inc. (TOCFWH) has been named greater Philadelphia^s latest Champion in ActionSM for the first quarter of 2006 in recognition of its comprehensive community health and education services that empower youth, adults, and communities toward healthy living. Over the next three months, TOCFWH will receive a $25,000 grant, media coverage, and extensive promotional and volunteer support.
Champions in Action is an innovative program that provides various forms of support for small non-profit organizations in recognition of their contributions to communities throughout the five county Philadelphia area. Since its inception in 2003, seven Champions have been selected.
"Citizens Bank is pleased to join NBC 10 and The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News in naming To Our Children^s Future With Health, Inc. our latest Champion in Action," said Stephen D. Steinour, Chairman and CEO of Citizens Bank. "To Our Children^s Future With Health is a highly regarded organization that provides after-school programs and community health education programs designed to encourage healthy behaviors. It has been a leading organization overseeing a youth development network in Philadelphia."
"NBC 10 is proud to be a partner with the Champions in Action program," said Dennis Bianchi, President and General Manager of NBC 10. "Strong partnerships and programs such as this allow us to demonstrate our community commitment, and give us the chance to thank those local nonprofits, like To Our Children^s Future With Health, Inc., that do so much good work in communities across our region. In addition to its after-school programs, this organization ensures that all other community providers are just as efficient in the operation of their after-school youth services."
"To Our Children^s Future With Health continues to raise the bar for all area programs by engaging the community with its focused and reliable service," said Joe Natoli, Chairman and Publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. "It works to provide after-school programs which stimulate holistic growth and provide a safe environment for students."
Bianchi and Pamela Crawley, Senior Vice President and Director of Public Affairs of Citizens Bank, surprised TOCFWH and its staff members by delivering the news in-person along with balloons and an oversized check for an unrestricted $25,000 grant. NBC 10^s cameras were on hand to capture the moment. It was broadcast live on the morning show "10!" today.
Some of the statistics that demonstrate the successes of To Our Children’s Future With Health:
- TOCFWH serves more than 1,500 youth and families in West and North Philadelphia as well as Harlem.
- Since being founded in 1992, TOCFWH has stood apart from other agencies as an example of how grassroots non-profit agencies and local community resources may work to provide after-school programs, which stimulate holistic growth and provide a safe environment for students.
- TOCFWH has built relationships with service providers throughout the region giving its youth development programs sustained credibility.
- TOCFWH has created a community-building process that has involved more than 140 representatives of several neighborhoods in Philadelphia.
- Through the development of a web-based client database that tracks participant demographic information and quantitative outcomes, TOCFWH is reinventing the way community research is conducted on program participants.
- Year round programming includes initiatives that train youth on healthy lifestyle choices, setting and attaining career goals, obtaining financial independence, personal growth and academic enrichment.
"We are honored to be recognized by Citizens Bank, NBC 10 and The Philadelphia Inquirer andDaily News as a Champion in Action," said Dr. Robin Foster-Drain, the organization^s Founder and President. "To Our Children^s Future With Health will use the resources that this award brings to purchase a new van which will help us continue our outreach to children. We thank everyone at Citizens Bank, NBC 10 and The Philadelphia Inquirer andDaily News for their support of non-profit organizations through the Champions in Action program."
As the most recent Champion in Action award winner, TOCFWH will receive:
- A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens Bank;
- Media coverage from NBC 10, including public service announcements and profiles;
- Advertising space in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and on Philly.com to promote both the program and the organization;
- Volunteer support from Citizens Bank, NBC 10 and Philadelphia Newspapers employees;
- Extensive public relations support;
- Promotional support, highlighting the Champion in Action in all Citizens Bank branches;
- Exposure on the Web sites of Citizens Bank, NBC 10 and Philly.com.
For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit www.citizensbank.com or nbc10.com. To learn more about To Our Children^s Future With Health, visit tocfwh.org or call 215-879-7740. TOCFWH^s offices are located at 1914 N. 63rd Street in West Philadelphia.
About To Our Children^s Future With Health
To Our Children^s Future with Health (TOCFWH) is a community based non-profit agency serving over 1500 youth, adults, and families in West and North Philadelphia and Harlem, New York since 1992. Supported by government grants, private foundations, donations, and corporate generosity, our mission is to empower youth, adults and communities toward healthy living through specific community health and education services.
About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a $33 billion state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has 400 branches, more than 660 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 11 retail branches and 13 ATMs in southern New Jersey. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $148 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,100 ATMs and more than 27,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and non-branch offices in more than 30 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).
About NBC 10
NBC 10, one of 14 Owned & Operated NBC television stations, is located in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. Millions of Delaware Valley viewers tune into NBC 10 everyday for the most up-to-date news, weather, sports, consumer, health and traffic reports. NBC 10 also has a studio at the Loews Hotel in Center City Philadelphia where the one-hour lifestyle and entertainment show "10!" originates. The program airs ^live^ Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. NBC 10 is proud to have the number one Web site in the Philadelphia Market, www.nbc10.com.
About The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News
The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, also known as Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc, is a division of Knight Ridder (NYSE: KRI) the nation^s second-largest newspaper publisher, with products in print and online. Knight Ridder and Knight Ridder Digital are headquartered in San Jose, Calif.