Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative® invests $20 million to strengthen communities across the country
PROVIDENCE – The Bank of America Charitable Foundation today announced its continuing support of nonprofits in the Rhode Island community, providing more than $400,000 in unrestricted funding to address critical social issues through the bank’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative (NEI). The program, which is helping to sustain nonprofits during this challenging economic time and increase their long-term viability, is investing $20 million globally this year in addition to the more than $90 million committed over the last five years.
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Amos House and Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket have been named 2009 Rhode Island Neighborhood Builders® through which they will each receive $200,000 in unrestricted grant funding and participate in Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Leadership Program® with other nonprofit leaders from 45 communities across the country and London.
Amos House, based in Providence, is serving critical community needs by providing support for men, women and children in Rhode Island who are hungry, homeless and in crisis through food, shelter and social service programs. Amos House provides the tools people need to attain greater self-sufficiency and self-reliance in their lives through a model of housing, social service case management, job training, and employment.
The Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket inspires and enables young people in Pawtucket and surrounding communities, especially those with greatest need, to realize their full potential as healthy, productive, responsible and caring citizens. Serving more than 4,000 members each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket excels as the only youth development organization in the City providing youth with consistent education and career development programs; character & leadership development; health and life skills education; arts; sports, fitness and recreation programs throughout the year.
“Bank of America is supporting the Rhode Island community through the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative and other lending, investing and community development programs that address critical social issues and align with our corporate social responsibility efforts,” said William F. Hatfield, Bank of America Rhode Island President. “In our current economy, communities need our support more than ever, and this program is designed to give that support through the effective combination of partnership, leadership development and flexible funding.”
NEI honors two other categories of community leaders: Local Heroes, who contribute significantly to the health of their neighborhood, will direct a $5,000 donation from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to an eligible nonprofit of their choice, and Student Leaders®, who are exemplary high school juniors and seniors with a passion for improving their communities.
2009 Rhode Island Local Heroes are:
• Pastor Ernest Ward, funds will be donated to Second Free Will Baptist Church, Firm, Inc
• Robin Ancowitz, funds will be donated to the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter
• Eleanor “Candy” Brown-McSwain, funds will be donated to Destiny House
• Nondas Hurst Voll, funds will be donated to The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence
• William Twaddell, funds will be donated to International Institute of Rhode Island
Earlier this year, 230 Student Leaders from across the country, including five from Rhode Island, participated in paid, eight-week summer internships with local nonprofit organizations and in a weeklong Bank of America student leadership summit in Washington, D.C. to learn about national service/civic engagement, financial education and how nonprofits, businesses and government partner to create positive change.
2009 Rhode Island Student Leaders are:
• Anna Maria Hammond, of Cranston, is a graduate of Cranston High School East
• Elizabeth Laguerre, of Providence, is a graduate of Classical High School
• Christian Martinez, of Providence, is a graduate of Providence Academy of International Studies
• Rosa Thao, of Providence, is a graduate of Classical High School
• Asia Turner, of East Providence, is a graduate of East Providence High School
All 2009 Rhode Island NEI winners will be honored at an event this Fall.
WHEN: Friday, November 6, 2009
WHERE:
The Met School
The Black Box Theatre
325 Public Street
Providence
TIME:
9:00 a.m.
Remarks start at 9:30 a.m.
SPEAKERS:
William F. Hatfield, President, Bank of America Rhode Island
Gene Valicenti, Anchor, NBC10-TV Providence
Editor’s note: Event is open to news media, and interviews can be scheduled in advance.
About the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative annually recognizes organizations, individuals and students who have shown a commitment to improving their communities. In its sixth year, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has committed more than $110 million globally to the NEI program since its inception.
By the end of 2009, more than 800 leaders from the nonprofit awardees will have participated in the Neighborhood Excellence Leadership Program®, which builds a network of community leaders across the country to share learning and insight in areas including strategic communications, financial management, succession planning, and long-term development. Through NEI, Bank of America has also encouraged community leadership at the grassroots level by recognizing more than 1,200 high school students and 1,200 community leaders over the last six years.
Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America this year embarked on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called “neighborhood excellence” under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Bank associate volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.
