Pictured from left to right are Sharon A. Geroulo, Vice President, Susquehanna Bank; Susan Bartels, Chief Executive Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley; and Jaime Busolits, Assistant Vice President, Susquehanna Bank.
Allentown, PA — September 29, 2014 — Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley recently received $4,300 from Susquehanna Bank in Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) funding to support its school-based mentoring programs in Bethlehem Area, Allentown and Whitehall-Coplay School Districts.
This is the third year in a row that Susquehanna Bank has contributed to Big Brothers Big Sisters through the EITC program. To date, Susquehanna Bank has donated nearly $11,000 to the organization.
“We’re thrilled Susquehanna Bank has chosen to invest in our school-based programs again for this academic year,” CEO Susan Bartels said. “Our school-based programs help to better the lives of more than 200 children throughout the Lehigh Valley by placing them in strong, caring mentoring relationships. We couldn’t achieve this level of impact without the generosity of our EITC donors.”
“Susquehanna has a long history of supporting the local communities where we do business,” said Lori Roscoe, Community Relations Manager of Susquehanna Bank. “We have roots in central Pennsylvania towns dating back more than a century. We recognize the importance of investing in the future of our communities, and one of the best ways to do that is to support the education of our children.”
As an approved program under EITC guidelines, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley receives funds from local businesses to support the expansion of its professionally supported school-based mentoring programs in Bethlehem Area, Allentown and Whitehall-Coplay School Districts. Through the program, elementary and middle school students are matched with qualified, high school or college Bigs.
For many years, the agency’s school-based programs have been statistically shown to aid children in the areas of academic performance, educational expectations, avoidance of risky behaviors and social acceptance.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley also recently received extensive funding from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley to expand many of its school-based programs in Bethlehem Area and Allentown School Districts, Bartels added.
Contact:
Alex Dapkewicz, Marketing & Development Manager
About Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley
Since 1970, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children (“Littles”) with qualified, trained, and screened volunteers (“Bigs”) and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course.
In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley, a United Way Partner Agency, served 327 Lehigh and Northampton County children in one-to-one mentoring relationships.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 100-year history. The organization is engaged in a nationwide search to reunite with alumni mentors, mentees, donors, and family, staff and board members. Learn how you can volunteer or donate—visit www.bbbslv.org.
About Susquehanna Bank
Susquehanna Bank operates more than 240 branch offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia. It is part of Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., a financial services holding company with assets of $18 billion and 3,400 employees. Through Susquehanna Wealth Management, the company also offers investment, fiduciary, brokerage, insurance, retirement planning, and private banking services. Susquehanna also operates an insurance brokerage and employee benefits company, a commercial finance company and a vehicle leasing company. For more information, please visit www.susquehanna.net.
