Citizens Bank Names Champions in Action in Rhode Island and Connecticut: The Institute for Study and Practice for Nonviolence, and the Center for Women and Families

[Providence, RI – November, 2007] – Citizens Bank, a leading provider of online banking in the New England area, has named two recipients of its Champions in Action grant, a program aimed to increase public awareness of nonprofit organizations. Grants, PR/promotions support and volunteer support will be given to the Center for Women and Families (CWF), and the Institute for Study and Practice of Nonviolence, both 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations.

CWF is a Hartford, Conn. organization that provides comprehensive services addressing issues that result from domestic violence and sexual assault. CWF is the primary resource for victims of abuse in Connecticut’s eastern Fairfield County towns. Last year CWF provided its critical services to more than 4,500 children and adults and had more than 10,000 people participating in its community education and awareness campaigns.

Citizens Bank will donate the following to CWF:
• A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens Bank.
• Local media coverage including public service announcements.
• Volunteer support from both Citizens Bank and local News Channel 8.
• Public relations support and promotional support through visibility at Citizens Bank branches and www.citizensbank.com.

The Institute for Study and Practice for Nonviolence (ISPN), is a Providence, R.I. organization with a mission of teaching by word and example the principles and practices of nonviolence, ultimately resulting in nonviolent resolutions. In 2003, intervention and prevention education was dramatically enhanced when the Nonviolence Streetworkers Outreach Program was created.

ISPN is being recognized for helping lower violent crimes in Providence by 50 percent, (particularly youth violence); providing training and personal mentoring for inner-city teenagers during the most dangerous summer months; providing jobs and training for nearly 200 high school students; and for successfully training 2,500 children to pursue nonviolence practices.

As a Champion in Action, ISPN will receive:
• A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens Bank.
• Media coverage from NBC10, including public service announcements and television profiles.
• Volunteer support from Citizens and NBC10 employees.
• Extensive public relations support, and promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in all Citizens Bank branches and on its ATMs.
• Exposure on both Citizens Bank and NBC10 Web sites.

Champions in Action is a partnership between Citizens Bank and various local organizations launched in 2002 to provide financial support and public awareness to the nonprofit organizations that work every day to champion change in our communities.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the 10 largest commercial banking companies in the United States ranked by assets and deposits. It is headquartered in Providence, R.I., and, through its subsidiaries, has more than 1,600 branches, more than 3,300 ATMs and more than 24,500 employees. Its 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. CFG provides financial products to individual, small business and commercial banking clients. Specializing in full-service product packages, CFG offers checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, home equity loans, mortgage financing and more. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). For more information, visit CFG’s Web site at www.citizensbank.com.

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