Citizens Bank Foundation provides $100K for neighborhood revitalization projects

PROVIDENCE – The Citizens Bank Foundation is awarding seven organizations and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation $100,000 to go toward improving the quality of life in Olneyville and other neighborhoods in Rhode Island.
The seven organizations will receive $40,000 for Olneyville, a Providence neighborhood, to support small businesses, provide job training and increase access to nutritious food, according to a press release issued Monday.
The remaining $60,000 will go toward the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s “Our Neighborhoods” project, which is designed to improve the livelihood of “Rhode Island’s most challenging neighborhoods.” The funds are coming from Citizens’ “Growing Communities” initiative, which is a vehicle for the bank to contribute to the economic vitality of its communities and foster neighborhood revitalization and economic-development.
“These nonprofit organizations and businesses are deeply committed to providing economic opportunity in Olneyville community and Citizens is pleased to continue our partnership with them,” Barbara Cottam, Citizens’ Rhode Island market executive, said.
“The seven projects selected utilize an innovative approach to improving the quality of life in one of Rhode Island’s most challenged neighborhoods and they have demonstrated results,” she added.
Selected through the process were the following seven groups and initiatives:

  • The Providence Plan/Building Futures Graduate Service Learning Program
  • The Steel Yard’s Weld to Work for Olneyville residents
  • Olneyville Housing Corporation’s One Olneyville
  • Providence Housing Authority’s Workforce
  • The Manton Avenue Project
  • The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative
  • Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council

“LISC Rhode Island is pleased to be part of this partnership,” Jeanne Cola, LISC Rhode Island executive director, said. “These projects will build an existing assets of the community and help to leverage additional resources for the neighborhood. We are proud of the work that ‘Our Neighborhoods’ has done and will continue to do with the support of Citizens Bank’s Growing Communities Initiative.”
Citizens Bank colleagues are also slated to provide volunteer support to the projects, according to the release.
Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities is part of the bank’s broader Citizens Helping Citizens program addressing five key areas: hunger, housing, economic-development, financial education and volunteerism.

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