Citi Commemorates 200th Anniversary with Global Community Day - a day of volunteerism for 100,000 Citi employees including 500 in Canada
TORONTO, June 16, 2012 /CNW/ - Citi is highlighting its long-standing commitment to communities by marking its 200th anniversary today with Global Community Day, an event celebrated in 92 countries with nearly 100,000 Citi volunteers - the largest number of participants ever.
Citi volunteers will gather on the seventh annual Global Community Day to participate in 1,300 service projects around the world. In Canada, more than 500 Citi volunteers will be giving their time in nine events across the country, ranging from collecting and sorting food for the hungry, revitalizing parks in local communities and building homes with Habitat for Humanity.
Global Community Day serves as an annual opportunity for Citi employees, alumni, family and friends around the world to gather as one to demonstrate a shared commitment to its communities -- a commitment that is carried out year-round by many employees who regularly volunteer their time. This shared commitment has been embodied in Citi employees since the company was established in 1812. It's that spirit of Common Purpose that Citi proudly celebrates on its 200th anniversary.
"For two centuries, Citi colleagues have worked to enable economic progress and support our clients on their journey from ambition to achievement," said Citi CEO Vikram Pandit. "There is no better way to celebrate our 200th anniversary than by honoring our history, embracing the future, and working together to strengthen the communities where we live and work."
"With more than 500 Citi volunteers, this marks our most successful Global Community Day in Canada yet," said John Hastings, Chairman and CEO of Citibank Canada. "Making such a tangible contribution to our local communities, along with 100,000 colleagues around the world, is a great way to celebrate this significant milestone for Citi."
Citi volunteers throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and North America will lend their time, skills and expertise to concentrate on local community needs, including financial inclusion, college and career mentoring, neighborhood revitalization, housing, disaster relief and environmental protection. Throughout the world, anyone interested in staying up-to-date on the latest Global Community Day news and events can follow #200YearsCiti on Twitter. Highlights of Citi's volunteer projects around the world include:
Asia Pacific
Maintaining its place at the top of the annual volunteer leaderboard, Asia Pacific will again have the largest turnout of volunteers across Citi's regions. In Hong Kong, 4,000 volunteers will partner with 13 NGOs to host a wide range of community service and fundraising activities for the elderly, underprivileged children and families, and other underserved groups. Approximately 2,000 volunteers in China will participate in a walkathon to raise funds to improve the nutrition of more than 3,400 children from some of China's most impoverished communities. Under the theme of 'Green Citi, Clean City,' South Korea's 50 activities will involve 4,000 volunteers in environmental protection efforts in botanical gardens and eco parks. In Thailand, 2,000 volunteers will support those affected by the floods in 2011 by fundraising to help five damaged schools and 200 underprivileged students.
Europe, Middle East and Africa
In Spain, close to 100 people ranging from 4 to 99 years old are taking part in a fundraising event called the Citi Mini Olympics. More than 1,000 volunteers in Pakistan will take part in the Citi 200 Community Carnival benefitting patients of a local cancer hospital. In Kenya, volunteers in Nairobi will partner with Habitat for Humanity's Maai Mahiu Internally Displaced Persons project at Naivasha, which seeks to provide decent, durable and permanent houses. Citi Nigeria volunteers in Lagos will be working at the National Museum to restore storage rooms for Nigeria's historical artifacts.
Latin America and Mexico
In Guatemala, more than 2,000 volunteers will be working on various neighborhood revitalization projects including repairing playgrounds, schools and sidewalks, painting murals, planting trees and installing streetlamps built with recycled materials. In Argentina, 1,600 volunteers will work with local schools, hospices, and homes in 18 cities across the country and hold a Sustainability Fair to benefit local non-profit partners. 1,300 Citi volunteers in Panama will remodel classrooms in the capital and clean up beaches to celebrate World Oceans Day. In Mexico, more than 5,000 volunteers across 62 cities, including Mexico City, will come together to plant nearly 25,000 trees and improve green areas in the local communities.
North America
Across the New York tri state area more than 4,500 employees will be engaged in various community projects, including teaching financial skills with Junior Achievement, revitalizing Hudson River Park, cleaning city beaches, preparing disaster cleanup kits with the American Red Cross, preparing summer camps for underprivileged children, building bicycles for children of military families, and restoring historic landmarks. Citi volunteers in Los Angeles and Fresno will utilize their skills to provide financial literacy classes at Financial Family Days. In Tucson, employees are involved in various community development projects and will assemble care packages for families of military service members. In St. Louis, under the banner of "200 Acts of Kindness", more than 600 volunteers will reach out into the local community and volunteer their services to various causes including literacy, food distribution and revitalizing community spaces. Across Canada more than 500 Citi volunteers will work to provide food to the hungry, shelter to the homeless and green public parks.
About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
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Troy Underhill
Citi Communications
(416) 947-5687
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