“Gear for Grades”
A Citizen’s Bank and VNA & Hospice of VT and NH Partnership
Bondville, VT (Sept 12, 2008) – Citizens Bank and the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of VT and NH (VNA & Hospice) teamed up for the Gear for Grades program to distribute new school supplies for low-income children in the Bondville area.
Citizens Bank collected community donations of pencils, pens, notebooks and other school supplies throughout the summer. Employees and volunteers filled new backpacks with the supplies and this month the VNA & Hospice helped distribute the backpacks to needy children in the Bondville area.
“Citizens Bank is proud of the Gear for Grades program and the positive impact it has had on local school children and their parents,” said Cathy Schmidt, president, Citizens Bank, Vermont. “We thank our customers and the public for supporting this worthwhile cause that benefits so many children in need.”
“For many families, purchasing the back to school basics is out of reach,” said Gaye LaCasce, VP of Development and Community Relations, VNA & Hospice. “Thanks to Citizens Bank and their customers, 10 children in the Bondville area are going to school with the tools they need to succeed and the knowledge that people care about their academic success.”
Nearly 300 backpacks were distributed by Citizens throughout Vermont as part of this years “Gear for Grades” program.
About Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank is a division of RBS Citizens, N.A., operating its seven-state branch network in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. It has 24 branches and 24 ATMs in Vermont. RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc. www.citizensbank.com.About VNA & Hospice
The Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire is a compassionate, non-profit healthcare organization committed to providing the highest quality home healthcare and hospice support services to individuals and their families, while also serving the communities in our region with education and wellness programs. Serving 86 towns (70 in VT and 16 in NH), the VNA & Hospice cares for more than 6,000 people each year, making 150,000 home visits to people of all ages and at all stages of life. Visit www.vnahospicevtnh.org for more information.