BankRI celebrates 20th year of Holiday Giving Tree program

FOR THE 20TH YEAR, Bank Rhode Island’s annual Holiday Giving Tree program has helped to brighten the season for underprivileged children, providing more than 1,500 gifts to kids across the state. The bank’s West Shore Road branch in Warwick led the charge, collecting 296 gifts for children served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick. From left: Monique Rossi, Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick; Lori Lepizzera, Buttonwoods assistant branch manager, BankRI; Alexander Jackson, universal banker, BankRI; Ashley Wilson, senior teller, BankRI; Paula Pratt, Buttonwoods branch manager, BankRI; Christopher Metcalf, teller supervisor, BankRI; and Nicole Spirito, Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick, with gifts earmarked for local children. / COURTESY BANK RHODE ISLAND
FOR THE 20TH YEAR, Bank Rhode Island’s annual Holiday Giving Tree program has helped to brighten the season for underprivileged children, providing more than 1,500 gifts to kids across the state. The bank’s West Shore Road branch in Warwick led the charge, collecting 296 gifts for children served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick. From left: Monique Rossi, Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick; Lori Lepizzera, Buttonwoods assistant branch manager, BankRI; Alexander Jackson, universal banker, BankRI; Ashley Wilson, senior teller, BankRI; Paula Pratt, Buttonwoods branch manager, BankRI; Christopher Metcalf, teller supervisor, BankRI; and Nicole Spirito, Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick, with gifts earmarked for local children. / COURTESY BANK RHODE ISLAND

PROVIDENCE – This year Bank Rhode Island celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Holiday Giving Tree program by donating more than 1,500 gifts to local children in need.

Mark J. Meiklejohn, president and CEO of BankRI, said in a statement, the institution is “extremely grateful” to those who participated and made someone else’s holiday brighter. “The old saying that it is better to give than to receive could not be more apt when you consider the community’s response to our Holiday Giving Tree,” he said.

Children wrote their holiday gift wishes on ornaments, which were then hung on trees in the 20 BankRI branches across Rhode Island on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Requested gifts included superhero action figures, Lego playsets, Barbie dolls, board games and puzzles, Nerf toys, arts and craft kits, Hot Wheels and bicycles.

BankRI customers and the community then came together to collect gifts over the next four weeks in support of those in need.

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Nonprofit partners that distributed the gifts to the children include Adoption Rhode Island; Aids Care Ocean State; Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick; Community Care Alliance; Connecting for Children & Families, domestic violence program of Crossroads Rhode Island; East Bay Community Action Program; Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center; Kingstown Crossings; Lucy’s Hearth; Providence Housing Authority; SSTARbirth; ’Tis the Season Coventry/West Greenwich; town of East Greenwich Department of Human Services; Tri-Town Community Action Agency; and Welcome House of South County.

Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.

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