Santander Provides $2.3 Million In New Grants To Support Leading Community Organizations

BOSTON, Feb. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Bank today announced it has awarded more than $2.3 million in new grants to 108 organizations located throughout the Bank's Northeastern U.S. footprint. This new commitment brings Santander's 2015 year-end total to more than $4.5 million in charitable grants awarded to 286 organizations to support financial education, neighborhood revitalization, community services and affordable housing initiatives in the communities where our customers and team members live and work.

The Bank's larger grant recipients include:

• City Year – to support financial education programs in Boston and Philadelphia.
• Junior Achievement - to support financial education programs across the Bank's footprint.
• American Red Cross – to fund disaster preparedness efforts across the Bank's footprint.

"Santander's grant program is part of a fundamental commitment to our communities to help build strong neighborhoods and support people with effective community-based programs," said Gwen Robinson, managing director, Corporate Social Responsibility for Santander Bank. "These important organizations provide valuable training and support for participants – from offering financial coaching and emergency services in critical times of need to helping people access homeownership – all with the goal of building brighter futures and improving long-term economic outcomes for young adults."

The Bank's latest grant cycle is focused on promoting innovative financial education programs.  Of the $2.3 million awarded, Santander committed more than $950,000 to promoting best practices in financial education for low- and moderate-income adults, particularly those between the ages of 16 and 24.  The Bank prioritized grant recipients based on their ability to partner with the Bank's employees and demonstrate a strategy for improving financial outcomes through the use of technology, program design or program delivery.

In 2015, Santander employees continued to embrace the Bank's commitment to its communities through volunteerism. Across the Bank, more than 1,400 team members volunteered close to 13,700 hours last year in support of organizations throughout the Bank's footprint.

The Santander Bank Charitable Contributions Program serves as Santander Bank's philanthropic arm, investing in programs that make a measurable difference for underserved individuals and communities in the Northeast.

Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the country's top retail banks by deposits and a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, S.A. - one of the most respected banking groups in the world.  With its corporate offices in Boston, Santander Bank's more than 670 branches and nearly 2,100 ATMs are principally located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Bank's 9,800 employees are committed to helping our 2.1 million customers make progress toward their financial goals with the support of our call centers, interactive online banking platform and easy-to-use mobile app. Madrid-based Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN) serves more than 100 million customers in the U.K., Europe, Latin America and the U.S.  Through its local affiliates, including Santander Bank, Banco Santander is the largest corporate contributor to higher education in the world, investing over $165 million annually in colleges and universities across more than 20 countries, including the U.S.  For more information on Santander Bank, please visit www.santanderbank.com.

Media Contacts:              
Ann Davis                                                                           
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Nancy Orlando
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SOURCE Santander Bank, N.A.

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