Computer Reach envisions a computer-literate world where the benefits of technology are shared by all. That’s why they’re working to eliminate the digital divide — the economic, educational and social inequalities between those who have digital access and those who don’t. By making technology available to people most in need through refurbished equipment, computer literacy, training and support, they’re bridging the digital divide while reducing e-waste.
While the majority of Computer Reach computers are placed with nonprofits serving low-income urban and rural areas of western Pennsylvania, nonprofits in more than 40 states and 38 countries benefit from Computer Reach’s efforts. Computer Reach also helps meet the technology needs of local suburban schools affected by shrinking education budgets.
As one of our 2020 Champions in Action, Computer Reach will receive $35,000 in unrestricted funds as well as volunteer, public relations, and promotional support plus coverage and public service announcements from Trib Total Media.
Learn more about our Champions in Action program here: http://spr.ly/6180GadAa
The next artist in our Citizens Bank Live & Local streaming series is Boston native Kay Hanley! Tune in on Tuesday, September 29, at 7 pm to catch a special performance and interview with this amazing local singer-songwriter and vocalist of the alternative rock band Letters to Cleo!
Learn more about Citizens Bank Live & Local here: http://spr.ly/6189GayEx
Facebook Event Link: http://spr.ly/6180GayEI
More than 54 million people, including 18 million children, may experience food insecurity because of COVID-19.
This Hunger Action Month, join us in our fight to end hunger in our communities by donating to our virtual food drive with Feeding America. We’ll match up to $25,000!
HTTPS://WWW.FEEDINGAMERICA.ORG/CITIZENSBANK
Donate Now to Help Fight Hunger in Your Community
Who else missed going to the annual Pops by the Sea concert this year? ✋😢 We’re longing to experience this special performance in person again, and we can’t wait until 2021.
Until then, tell us about your favorite Pops by the Sea memory and we just might make next year’s performance a little “cooler” for you! 😉
Who’s hungry? ✋ We’re partnering with Dining Playbook to bring you a virtual cooking class with one of Boston’s top chefs! Join chef Tatiana Rosana of Outlook Kitchen and the Lookout Rooftop Bar Boston for a night of Latin American-inspired cuisine. You’ll be able to follow along as she takes us on a journey through her life as a first generation Cuban American and teaches us how to whip up one of her favorite dishes — tostones! 🤤
RSVP below to stay updated about the event and find out how to register. Attendees will receive a special gift in the mail after the event!
WED, SEP 23 AT 6:30 PM EDT
Virtual Culinary Experience with 2x Chopped Champion: Chef Tatiana Rosana presented by Citizens Bank
You don’t have to spend a fortune (or even change out of your pajamas) to indulge in self care. Read on for tips to turn a Friday night at home into your very own spa retreat.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Turn Your Home Into a Spa
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular might look a little different this year, but it’s just as spectacular! 🎃 Our longtime partners at the Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village knew they had to come up with a creative way to keep this tradition going, but still take public health into consideration. Their solution? A completely safe drive-through event that will be fun for the whole crew.
So grab your family (and maybe some piping hot apple cider), hop in the car, and enjoy thousands of intricately carved pumpkins from the comfort of your vehicle!
CITIZENSBANK.COM
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular Must Go On
The Election is around the corner. As we prepare to vote during a pandemic, it’s important to know our options. Decide whether you want to vote by mail, participate in early in-person voting or vote at the polls on Election Day. Don’t forget to first verify that you’re registered.
Make sure you’re registered here.
VOTE.GOV
Are you registered to vote?
While we strive to show gratitude for our colleagues every day, Credo Week marks an official celebration of the hard work and dedication of our teams across the country. Albeit heavily virtual this year, we still managed to have a great time and honor the following people:
🧱 Brick Recipients — Those that have been with us for 25 years
🏆 Chairman’s Award and Credo Champions — A select group who’ve demonstrated a significant commitment to living our values
🎉 Credo Community Champions — Recipients were recognized for the impact their service had in their communities.
Your daily routine: work, exercise, make dinner, sleep, repeat. Where does getting sick fit into this picture? Getting a cold, the flu, or even COVID-19 doesn’t get penciled in. Make sure you’re informed about your employer’s PTO policy, so you can take the time you need to get healthy and get back to your priorities.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
What to Know About PTO
How do you turn a generations-old family recipe into a product sold at a nationwide grocery store? Hard work, innovation, and perseverance.
La Dorita Dulce de Leche did just that by bottling its authentic Argentine dulce de leche. Then they launched its Kitchen Share Incubator Program to help other food entrepreneurs in the Pittsburgh area. La Dorita Cooks is one of 100 recipients of a $15,000 Citizens Minority-Owned Small Business Grant.
“We love sharing our own food startup experiences with like-minded entrepreneurs within our shared kitchen and around Pittsburgh,” says Josephine Caminos Oria, president and founder of La Dorita Cooks. “I finally found success on my own terms, and better yet, I get to share it with my family.”
Learn how Oria turned her small business into a sweet success story for their whole community at the link below.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Grant Recipient: La Dorita Cooks
Today we launch College Bound Citizens, a digital education program for high school students to make smart decisions about financing higher education. The free digital course and online Family Resource Center we built with EVERFI covers a multitude of topics. Learn more below.
EVERFI
October 22 at 10:00 AM ·
America’s growing student-loan debt crisis impacts more than 40 million people nationwide, making it one of the biggest issues facing Americans today.
This is why we teamed up with Citizens Bank to develop Pathways, a new digital course as part of the College Bound Citizens program. This program teaches students and families the basics around paying for college, like understanding student loans, budgeting, and calculating return on investment, so they are better prepared for the future!
Learn more about the College Bound Citizens program: https://everfi.com/press-releases/citizens-and-everfi-launch-course-to-help-educate-high-school-students-on-financing-higher-education/
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a perfect time to perform a cyber wellness check! The first tip? Set alerts on your debit and credit cards, so you know if there are any suspicious charges. Perform a full check at the link below.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Perform a Cyber Wellness Check | Citizens Bank
How do you mentor the women around you in the workplace? Jess, Head of Portfolio Management & Underwriting in Commercial Banking, believes that both formal and informal mentorship relationships are important.
“One of my first mentors drove me to take control of my career. I thought I had pigeonholed myself, but she helped me see that there were alternatives. She believed in my potential and showed me that I could transfer my skills to another industry. That’s why I participate in Business Resource Groups and why I mentor several women, both formally and informally. It’s a way for me to pay it forward.”
In fact, she earned the distinction as number 75 on Yahoo Finance’s 2020 list of HERoes Women Role Model Executives. This list celebrates 100 women who are leading by example and driving change to increase gender diversity in the workplace. Check out Jess’ story.
JOBS.CITIZENSBANK.COM
Women Mentoring Women
More and more employers are offering benefits to help their employees take care of themselves. Ergonomic workspaces, healthy snack choices, and fitness options are just a few. How does your employer support self-care?
CITIZENSBANK.COM
How Employers Support Self Care
On a scale from 1-10, how much do you miss live music? 🔟 With the Citizens Bank Live & Local streaming series, watch live, unfiltered performances from amazing artists like songwriter and musician Chris Trapper, best known as the singer and guitarist of The Push Stars and for his song “This Time” from the film “August Rush”! RSVP below to catch his performance live on Crossroads Presents' Facebook page on Tuesday, October 27, at 7 pm.
Learn more about Citizens Bank Live & Local here: http://spr.ly/CitizensBankLL
TUE, OCT 27 AT 7:00 PM EDT
Citizens Bank Live & Local: Chris Trapper
Home ownership is a goal for many individuals and families, but it comes with a lot of costs.
Last year, we provided $1.2 million in closing cost assistance to more than 500 low- and moderate-income homebuyers. Through this program, we gave eligible borrowers a grant of 3% of the purchase price, up to $2,500, to help defray the upfront costs.
Learn more about we’re empowering homebuyers in our latest Corporate Responsibility Report. ⬇️
CITIZENSBANK.COM
How Citizens enables informed home ownership
It’s International Fraud Awareness Week. Have you brushed up on your prevention tips lately? In 2020, it’s even more critical to stay alert since cyber criminals are using the pandemic as another avenue in their attempts to gain access to your personal data.
Ready to fight back? Check out these helpful resources at the link below.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
COVID-19 Fraud Prevention Tips
You have enough to worry about with health and safety on your mind. But finding affordable health care? That’s a tough one. Now more than ever, you need a health plan that helps you, without hurting your wallet. With benefits open enrollment coming up, learn all you can to find the plan that's right for you.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Affording Health Care in a Pandemic
What are you thankful for? Four years ago, Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant John Blizinski was the recipient of a fully furnished home from Citizens Bank through our partnership with Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF.) Since then, he ’s been involved in the MWSF 3 year mentorship program, and is thankful for the lessons he’s learned along the way.
“They have the program structured in a way that it does exactly what it’s designed to do…set you up for success. Looking back from three years ago on what I have now, I feel really successful,” shares John.
Click the link to learn more about his story.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Hitting Reset for Wounded Vets | Citizens Bank
How can a small business make a big difference? By being a source of power for its people.
At least that’s the case for Allwire Solutions Inc., a Rhode Island-based electrical company that was recently named one of 100 recipients of a $15,000 Citizens Minority-Owned Small Business Grant.
“There is a reason you don’t see many other minority electricians; they can’t afford to wait the several years it takes to make a substantial paycheck in electrical work,” says owner and founder Christopher Fuller.
Learn more about this small business owner’s commitment to helping his apprentices reach their career goals at the link below.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Grant Recipient: Allwire Solutions Inc.
We believe that the success of the communities we serve is critical to our success, and our employees believe it, too. Over the past five years, the amount of volunteer time they’ve logged has increased by 144%. Our colleagues serve on the boards or committees of more than 1,200 community groups, lending their expertise to organizations that provide vital services across our footprint.
Learn more about our colleague volunteerism in our latest Corporate Responsibility Report. ⬇️
CITIZENSBANK.COM
How Citizens employees are giving back
Know a high school student who would want to win money for college while learning about Black history?
We’re proud to be sponsoring the Black History Month Challenge powered by EVERFI, a virtual essay competition celebrating lesser-known stories about the Black experience in the United States.
Throughout February, high school students can explore interactive learning modules about topics like the accomplishments of Black business titans and Black contributions to medicine. After they finish the curriculum, they’ll have the opportunity to submit a short essay for a chance to win a college scholarship worth up to $10,000. Find out how a student in your life can participate:. http://spr.ly/6186H5dBA
This Black History Month, we’re highlighting a few of our amazing colleagues who are making a difference here and in their communities.
Meet George Monroe Jr., who was spotlighted on NPR for his work with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. George has been partnering with historic sites in Virginia to tell stories about slavery, including his enslaved ancestors who were owned by James Monroe, America’s fifth president.
“The other meaningful part of my family history is the platform it has afforded me to participate in critical initiatives and discussions geared towards racial reconciliation,” George told us.
To read more about George’s story, click the link below.
JOBS.CITIZENSBANK.COM
Celebrating Black Colleagues – George Monroe
Meet our colleague Shani, and her adorable bundle of joy, Dorian Justin.👩👦
With so much to do with a new baby at home, it can be easy to forget about managing your finances, especially for first-time parents. Shani recommends focusing on taking advantage of rewards programs for routine purchases, because the savings on things like diapers and wipes can really add up.
Another thing she’s focused on? “Starting a savings account for the baby right away is essential. You get so busy with an infant that financial decisions are often put off and forgotten about,” shares Shani. “So I recommend determining what your priorities are early, and it’s okay if they change over time.”
What are some savings tips you have for first-time parents? Tell us below. 👇
Tax season is here, and so is the possibility of tax identity theft. That’s what happens when someone files a fake return using your Social Security number in order to get a refund — but keeping your data secure online can help protect you from that.
Ready to defend yourself against cybercriminals? Check out these tips:
• File early in the tax season.
• Use a secure Internet connection.
• Make sure you’re using the legitimate IRS website — www.IRS.gov.
• If you store your tax records on your computer, make sure you encrypt them.
• Don’t respond to any alleged IRS phone calls, texts or emails — the IRS will only contact you via mail.
• Only give out your SSN if absolutely necessary and try not to carry your card with you.
Want more cybersecurity tips? Head to the link below.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Defend Yourself Against Tax Identity Theft
Since 2002, the Citizens Champions in Action program has provided more than $9 million in unrestricted funds to 352 deserving nonprofit organizations (our Champions) that have worked to strengthen our communities.
Meet Gather, House of Hope CDC, Center of Life, Daily Table, and the Garces Family Foundation, our 2021 Champions in Action for COVID-19 relief. ⬇
Champion in Action: Gather
Gather was awarded $35K for championing COVID-19 relief.
Champion in Action: House of Hope CDC
House of Hope CDC was awarded $35K for championing COVID-19 relief.
Champion in Action: Daily Table
Daily Table was awarded $35K for championing COVID-19 relief.
Champion in Action: Center of Life
Center of Life was awarded $35K for championing COVID-19 relief.
Champion in Action: The Garces Foundation
The Garces Foundation was awarded $35K for championing COVID-19 relief.
See more at
citizensbank.com
Looking for safe and affordable time off that’s close to home? From daytrips to at-home camping to volunteer opportunities, check out some great ideas to make the most of your winter staycation.
CITIZENSBANK.COM
Ready for a Staycation?
