Citizens Bank, whose Connecticut locations include this branch in Groton, is accepting applications for its 2007 Housing Heroes Award program.
Citizens Bank is accepting applications for its 2007 Housing Heroes Award program. The program is designed to recognize a nonprofit organization that has developed innovative solutions to the challenge of increasing affordable housing.
As part of the award, the organization will receive a $50,000 grant from the Citizens Bank Foundation, $10,000 of which is reserved for a resident-related program such as playground equipment or leadership training. The executive director of the organization also receives the opportunity to tap into the expertise of Citizens Bank’s chief executive officer through the “President to President” program.
“The Housing Heroes Award program is a great way to recognize and reward nonprofit developers who are creating affordable housing opportunities for individuals and families in Connecticut,” said Rich Barry, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Connecticut. “These agencies are committed to ensuring that homeownership is a reality for people across the state. We are thrilled to lend our support and assistance in helping them make this dream come true for potential homeowners.”
The Housing Heroes Award program will recognize a successful project that has created affordable housing units in the state. It will be available to any nonprofit developer who has completed an affordable housing project between January 2006 and December 2006. The award will highlight projects that demonstrate innovative solutions, effective use of resources, leadership in creating affordable housing and strong fiscal responsibility. Completed applications must be submitted by Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 5 p.m.
Sheldon Oak Central Inc. of Hartford received the 2006 Housing Heroes Award for excellence in converting Rice Heights in Hartford into privately owned homes for 44 families, nearly half of whom were former public housing residents. Sheldon Oak Central used a portion of its award to fund a four-session Neighborhood Leadership Program for the Rice Heights homeowners. The program, designed and delivered by the staff of Leadership Greater Hartford, included such topics as “City Government: How It Works and Can Work for You,” “Speaking in Public” and “Resolving and Transforming Conflict Effectively.”
“The support of Citizens Bank has been a tremendous asset to our organization. We share Citizens’ commitment to the Hartford community and to creating affordable housing that is of the highest quality. We were honored to be recognized as a Housing Hero and look forward to working with our colleagues at Citizens Bank in the future,” said David Merida, executive director of Sheldon Oaks Central.
A Housing Hero will be named in each of the New England states where Citizens Bank operates: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont. Awards will be presented in March.
Citizens Bank of Connecticut, based in New London, is a $5 billion bank with 49 branches and 60 ATMs in Connecticut. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, a $164 billion commercial bank holding company based in Providence, R.I.
Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, about 3,200 ATMs and 26,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. Citizens is the eighth-largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits and ninth in assets as of March 31, 2005. It is owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, which is also known as RBS.
