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COMPANY OF THE WEEK

Community Service 2009 Company of the Week

March 1, 2009

SunTrust Banks, Inc.

In keeping with its mission of helping people and institutions prosper, SunTrust has long participated in community service activities across its footprint. From partnerships with national nonprofit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, to local affordable housing, community-based organizations, SunTrust is a strong advocate for, and supporter of, activities that revitalize and stabilize communities. During 2008 in Florida alone, SunTrust participated in more than 100 activities supporting affordable housing. Activities have already begun in earnest for 2009, and the following examples demonstrate the impact that we are making in neighborhoods and communities

Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, Inc. (RTTB) is a non-profit organization formed in 2000 in response to the increasing need for residential housing rehabilitation programs to improve living conditions for very low- and low- income families, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities. This year, Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay held a Rebuild event in conjunction with the Super Bowl in a neighborhood that has, to a large extent, felt forgotten by the rest of the community. The day was a rousing success – more than 1,500 volunteers worked to help 21 families rehabilitate their homes in a five-block area of the Old West Tampa neighborhood near Raymond James Stadium, site of Super Bowl XLIII. The SunTrust team, headed by Branch Manager Leo Alvarez, worked alongside other volunteers to assist a family with general home repairs, replacing appliances, painting, and landscaping.

While SunTrust and its associates work to help address affordable housing issues in its communities, we are also very involved in state- and local-level initiatives of the “America Saves” program. On February 23, 2009, SunTrust, in partnership with War on Poverty, sponsored and participated in the Miami Job Corp Financial Festival in celebration of Florida Saves Week. Florida Saves is the statewide coalition promoting America Saves Week. During the national America Saves Week, February 22nd – March 1st, local organizers, banks and community volunteers were out across Florida to spread the word about building wealth versus debt, and encouraging residents to save.
Miami Job Corp Center helps financially challenged students from primarily inner city neighborhoods develop and improve work force skills. In addition, the Center provides opportunities for leadership development and offers personalized attention and strong coaching to the students as they enhance their personal development and technical skills.

SunTrust employees provided more than 300 students and faculty with engaging and fun presentations on the importance of saving using SunTrust Get Started Savings Calculators, and awarded gift cards to outstanding students to encourage them to start savings accounts.

These examples represent a fraction of the efforts SunTrust is undertaking in Florida -- and across its footprint -- to support affordable housing and financial literacy. Even in these uncertain economic times, SunTrust remains committed to meeting the needs of it clients, and prospective clients, in all of the communities it serves.

Congratulations, SunTrust!

For more CS09 Company of the Week articles, please visit: http://www.financialcommunityservice.org/

For more information on CS09 Company of the Week, please contact Aleksia@fsround.org.

Click Here to view a list of our past Companies of the Week.