Announced jointly by Citizens and NECN, the Franklin Food Pantry will receive $50,000 in unrestricted funding and promotional and volunteer support to propel their work to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for Massachusetts.
"The Franklin Food Pantry is extremely honored to receive the highly competitive Champions in Action Award, which will help fund solar panel installation and allow clients to access supplemental food assistance and programs in an energy-efficient, sustainable building," said Tina Powderly, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry. "Investing in green energy is a priority for our organization and energy generated by solar panels will strengthen The Pantry's financial profile by offsetting future operating costs."
The Franklin Food Pantry offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referral programs to more than 1,300 individuals per year. The organization recently moved to a larger facility with a loading dock and warehouse which allows them to easily distribute and ensure equitable access to food and other goods. The Pantry will use the Champion in Action grant to purchase solar panels for the new facility to help reduce operating costs and improve its environmental footprint.
As a Champion in Action, Franklin Food Pantry will benefit from:
- A $50,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens
- Media coverage and public service announcements from NECN
- Complimentary membership to the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
- Volunteer support from Citizens colleagues
- Public relations and promotional support
"Citizens is committed to driving positive climate impact by reducing our operational emissions, supporting our clients' sustainability journeys, and partnering with community organizations to drive change," said Lisa Murray, President of Citizens Massachusetts. "As one of our 2024 Champions in Action grantees, we are honored to support Franklin Food Pantry's work to create sustainable energy solutions within their organization and across Massachusetts."
"The Boston stations of NBC and Telemundo are proud to support the work of Champions in Action, which directly elevates the impact of nonprofits throughout the Commonwealth," said Maggie Baxter, VP of Programming and Community for NBC10 Boston, NECN, and Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra.
Citizens' Champions in Action program celebrates and supports local nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million who are creating lasting change in the communities they serve. Twice a year, a nonprofit in one of seven Citizens' markets is selected to receive funding, promotional and volunteer support to advance programming and services focused on a relevant topic that changes bi-annually.
Since the program's launch 21 years ago, Citizens has awarded more than $10 million in unrestricted grants and promotional and volunteer support to more than 375 Champion in Action nonprofit winners across the bank's footprint. In Massachusetts alone, 62 nonprofits have been honored, receiving more than $1.7 million in funding.
For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit Champions in Action | Be Inspired | Citizens (citizensbank.com). To learn more about Citizens' work driving positive climate impact, visit Driving Positive Climate Impact | Sustainable Banking (citizensbank.com).
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation's oldest and largest financial institutions, with $222.0 billion in assets as of December 31, 2023. 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 full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,100 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn or Facebook.
About NBC10 Boston
Owned by NBCUniversal, NBC10 Boston delivers viewers in the Greater Boston area, Southern New Hampshire and Northeastern Massachusetts NBC's award-winning daytime, primetime and late-night signature programs and local breaking news and information. The station features the most accurate weather in the region with "First Alert Weather" and an exclusive 10-day forecast. Additionally, NBC10 Boston features the market's only daily live lifestyle program, "The Hub Today." The station's investigative units, "NBC10 Boston Responds" and "The Investigators" answer local consumer inquiries and shines a light on questionable practices. NBC10Boston's news coverage and content is also delivered to viewers on-the-go through its dedicated website NBC10Boston.com, a customized mobile app and via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. The station has been awarded eleven Edward R. Murrow awards since its launch, including for "Overall Excellence" and "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion."
About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.
The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referral programs to more than 1,300 individuals per year. The Pantry relies on donations and grants to purchase items and pay for daily operations, and partnerships with The Greater Boston Food Bank, Lovin' Spoonfuls, and local grocery stores to achieve greater buying power and lower costs. Programs include In-person Shopping, Curbside Pick-up, Emergency Food Bags, Mobile Pantries, Home Delivery, Kids' Snack Bags, Weekend Backpacks, Holiday Meal Kits, Community Gardens, and the Franklin Farmers Market. The Pantry is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing in Massachusetts, recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four- Star Charity, and awarded GuideStar's Platinum Transparency ranking. The Pantry is located at 341 W. Central St. in Franklin, MA on Route 140. Please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.
About NECN
Owned by NBCUniversal, NECN serves as the largest 24-hour regional news network in the U.S. Since its launch in 1992, NECN has grown to include 3.6 million subscribers in more than 1,050 cities and towns throughout all six New England states. NECN has established itself as an industry leader as the only cable television news station to earn a George Foster Peabody Award and the Alfred I Dupont- Columbia University Broadcast Journalism Award, among many other accolades. On January 19, 2020, NECN relaunched its entire network targeting a new audience – millennial Women 25-54. As a digital-first network, NECN has changed the way it delivers news, entertainment, and lifestyle content across all platforms.
About Telemundo Boston
Owned by NBCUniversal, Telemundo Boston, WNEU, is a local Telemundo owned station that serves viewers in the Greater Boston area. Telemundo Boston produces 10 hours of local news programming each week. The station's newscast, "Noticiero Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra" (Telemundo New England News) is the #1 Spanish- language newscast in New England airing every weeknight at 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM and delivers live, local breaking news, weather forecasts and special reports, as well as sports and entertainment information to Spanish-speaking audiences in Boston and in Hartford, Connecticut through a simulcast via WRDM. Audiences can also receive the most-up-to-date news and information across the station's digital and mobile platforms at TelemundoNuevaInglaterra.com, via the "Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra" mobile app, and its social media channels @TelemundoNI.
About NBC Sports Boston
NBC Sports Boston reaches more than 4 million households in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Programming includes the Boston Celtics, Arbella Early Edition, Boston Sports Tonight, Celtics Post Up, Monday Night Patriots, Quick Slants, Football Day in New England including pre and post-game programs surrounding all Patriots games, CAA football, basketball and more. NBCSportsBoston.com and all of the network's social media channels (@NBCSBoston) provide continuous news, video and in-depth, up-to-the-minute coverage of New England sports. Visit NBCSportsBoston.com for more information. Check local listings for the specific channel location for your area.
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