Citizens Bank and Military Warriors Support Foundation Present Home to Purple Heart Recipient

As part of its ongoing commitment to give back to the communities it serves, Citizens Bank has again partnered with the Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF) to donate a newly renovated, mortgage-free house to a deserving veteran and his family.

The Aldan, Pennsylvania home – renovated by Citizens Bank colleagues and donated by the bank – was presented today to Private First Class Michael Lowe, who honorably served his country as a combat engineer in Iraq and Korea.

Michael was inspired to join the Army in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York City on September 11, 2001. He was born in Georgetown, Guyana and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He entered the Army in March 2003 and served until 2006 as a Private First Class Combat Engineer serving in Korea and Iraq. Before retiring from the Army for medical reasons, Michael received several awards and commendations for his service including the Purple Heart.

“We are proud to honor Michael’s brave service by providing him with a home that has been refurbished with pride and great care,” said Brad Conner, vice chairman and head of Consumer Banking, Citizens Bank. “At Citizens Bank our colleagues are committed to supporting the communities where we live and work, and we are truly excited to have helped renovate this home for Michael.”

“It is a privilege and an honor to award a mortgage-free home to one of our nation’s combat wounded heroes,” said Kathy Feeney, Executive Advisor of Housing Initiatives with Military Warriors Support Foundation. “This amazing opportunity doesn’t get to happen by itself. Together, with donors like Citizens Bank, we are given the opportunity to serve those who have served for us.”

At a ceremony today, Citizens colleagues lined the street to welcome Michael and his family to their new home. Representatives from Citizens Bank and Military Warriors Support Foundation presented the keys to Michael and led him on a tour of his new home.

More than 100 Citizens Bank colleagues have donated their time volunteering on various projects to improve the house. Citizens Bank colleagues donated their time and talents, as well as items for the home (television, snow blower, gas grill, gardening tools, small kitchen appliances and silverware, living room, family room, and bedroom furniture) and gift cards for various stores in the area.

Additionally, GIANT Food Stores has donated groceries, personal care and home supplies to fill the family’s kitchen and cupboards. The company is also providing the family with free groceries for the year, valued at $2,500 and, as the official grocer of the Philadelphia Phillies will also host Michael and his family at a 2019 Phillies game in Citizens Bank Park.

This donation represents a long-term commitment the bank has made to give back to the communities it serves through its Citizens Helping Citizens initiative. Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter is one component of this program. During the past four years, Citizens Bank partnered with the Military Warriors Support Foundation to donate homes to military families in New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Michigan.

Since 2010, Military Warriors Support Foundation has awarded over 800 mortgage-free homes through their Homes4WoundedHeroes program, and has assisted combat wounded veterans and their families in paying off over $20 million in debt through mentorship.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $158.6 billion in assets as of September 30, 2018. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 2,900 ATMs and approximately 1,150 branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers corporate, institutional and not-for-profit clients a full range of wholesale banking products and services, including lending and deposits, capital markets, treasury services, foreign exchange and interest rate products and asset finance. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

About Military Warriors Support Foundation

Military Warriors Support Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, founded by Lieutenant General Leroy Sisco (Ret), in 2007. Their mission is to provide support and programs that facilitate a smooth and successful transition for our Nation’s combat wounded heroes and Gold Star families. Their programs focus on housing and homeownership, employment, as well as recreational activities and transportation assistance. Through their Homes4WoundedHeroes and Homes4GoldStars Programs, they award mortgage-free homes to combat wounded heroes injured while in service to our country, and unmarried Gold Star spouses of a veteran who was killed in action during combat. In addition to the home, the families will receive three years of family and financial mentoring. For more information, visit MilitaryWarriors.org.

About GIANT Food Stores, LLC

GIANT Food Stores, LLC has more than 170 neighborhood stores and offers home delivery, online/mobile ordering, fuel centers, pharmacies, plus in-store nutritionists. Serving families in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, GIANT Food Stores is proud to employ nearly 30,000 associates who believe in giving back to their community. The GIANT Family of Brands include GIANT, MARTIN’S Food Markets and Peapod by GIANT. Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, GIANT Food Stores is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.

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