Lighthouse Community Development Named Champion in Action in Michigan
Charter One Bank and WXYZ-TV 7 provide $25,000 grant, volunteer and promotional support in recognition of excellence in affordable housing DETROIT (January 30, 2008) - Charter One and WXYZ-TV 7 have named Lighthouse Community Development as the 2008 Champions in Action® winner in Michigan in the area of affordable housing. As the beneficiary of this award, Lighthouse Community Development will receive a $25,000 grant, public relations and volunteer support.
The Champions in Action® program was launched in November 2005 by Charter One and WXYZ-TV 7 to recognize and support nonprofit organizations that champion change in our communities and work to address the needs of southeast Michigan.
Lighthouse Community Development, a subsidiary of Lighthouse of Oakland County, leads an ongoing effort to revitalize and rejuvenate underserved communities throughout Oakland County. Residents participate in training and educational programs that emphasize personal financial management and home ownership to help first-time home buyers invest in their families’ futures.
Since 2001, Lighthouse Community Development has built more than 70 single-family homes and renovated 25 existing homes for first-time homebuyers. Additionally, LCD has repaired or restored more than 180 owner-occupied homes and completed a comprehensive neighborhood assessment and community design plan that will result in a projected $102 million in residential development in Unity Park, a neighborhood in Pontiac, Mich.
A subsidiary of Lighthouse of Oakland County, Lighthouse Community Development assists low- to moderate-income families in establishing good credit to fulfill their dreams of homeownership. Residents participate in comprehensive training and educational programs that emphasize personal financial management and home ownership to help first-time home buyers invest in their families’ futures.
Lighthouse Community Development programs focus on housing construction and training and education. The housing construction programs provide single-family homes through new construction, rehabilitation and the development of affordable rental housing. Training and education programs include home buyer seminars, financial fitness classes, basic home repair courses and home retention workshops to assist homeowners facing mortgage delinquency or foreclosure.
“Lighthouse Community Development recognizes that successful homeownership is far greater than the home itself,” said Sandra Pierce, President, Charter One, Michigan. "It assists families with one-on-one counseling and training to help them fulfill their dreams of homeownership. We are pleased to recognize the important work of Lighthouse Community Development and to help provide the agency with the resources to advance its mission.”
"WXYZ-TV 7 is proud to partner with Charter One to recognize the extraordinary commitment of Lighthouse Community Development," said Robert Sliva, Vice President and General Manager, WXYZ-TV 7. "We applaud its work and look forward to doing our part to help raise awareness about the need to provide affordable housing for the residents of our communities."
As the 2008 first quarter Champion in Action, Lighthouse Community Development will receive:
• A $25,000 grant in unrestricted funds from the Charter One Foundation;
• Media coverage from WXYZ-TV 7, including public service announcements;
• Volunteer support from Charter One colleagues;
• Promotional support in all Charter One branches and on its ATMs throughout Michigan; and
• Exposure on both Charter One’s and WXYZ-TV 7’s Web sites.
“We are thrilled to be chosen as a Champion in Action. It is an honor to have our commitment to developing affordable housing in the city of Pontiac recognized and rewarded, “said Judith Robinson, Executive Director of Lighthouse Community Development. “As the beneficiary of this wonderful award we cannot begin to thank both Charter One and WXYZ-TV 7 for supporting us in our mission of providing the residents of Pontiac with the opportunity to live in a safe and prosperous environment.”
A group of community leaders and representatives of WXYZ-TV 7 and Charter One comprise a committee which selects a Champion in Action each quarter for its work on a particular social issue. 2008 categories include: Affordable Housing; Workforce Development; Youth Programming; and Multiculturalism and Diversity.
About Charter One
Charter One is a division of RBS Citizens, N.A., operating in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. It has 466 branches and more than 780 ATMs. It has 120 branches and 136 ATMs in Michigan. Charter One’s Web site is charterone.com.
RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $159 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 13-state branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. It is one of the 10 largest commercial banking companies in the United States ranked by assets and deposits. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
Information for Lighthouse Community Development
(248) 920-6200
www.lighthouseoakland.org/lcd.php
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