Bank donates backpacks

Citizens Bank is distributing 400 new backpacks filled with pens, pencils, notebooks, erasers, rulers, and more to school children across Vermont through its Gear for Grades program.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120924/BUSINESS03/709249907

Bank donates backpacks BURLINGTON — Citizens Bank is distributing 400 new backpacks filled with pens, pencils, notebooks, erasers, rulers, and more to school children across Vermont through its Gear for Grades program. The program, which ran from July 23 through Aug. 10, encouraged the public to donate new school supplies and drop them off at any Citizens Bank branch in the state. Joe Carelli, president of Citizens Bank, Vermont, said the program was an overwhelming success, collecting more than 4,000 new school items for kids to take to school. The backpacks, donated by Citizens Bank Foundation and filled with school supplies, are being distributed to designated youth serving agencies including: local Boys & Girls Club of Rutland, Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro, COTS, and the Springfield Parent Child Center. This year’s Gear for Grades program is supported by MIX 98.1/WJJR, 1230 WJOY, and KOOL 105. “I want to thank everyone who made a donation to Gear for Grades to make sure that Vermont children have the basic tools they need to learn and succeed in school,” said Carelli. “Once again, the public and our customers were very generous in donating school supplies this year and we are very proud to make a difference for families by providing these backpacks.”