Source: Media Outreach
New Efforts Support Communities of Color That Have Been Disproportionally Impacted by the Pandemic
Citi Foundation Donates US$25 Million to Support Community Development Financial Institutions in the U.S. from Citi’s Contribution of Initial Proceeds from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Citi Employee Donation Campaign Raises Over US$4 Million for Global Relief Efforts
HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach – 2 July 2020 – Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) – Citi today announced that Citi and the Citi Foundation have committed more than US$100 million to date in support of COVID-19-related community relief and economic recovery efforts globally. This includes more than $35 million in new funding, adding to the previously announced US$65 million in grants and charitable contributions to deliver ongoing relief and support for longer-term economic recovery in communities impacted by the global pandemic. These contributions include US$2 million from Citi employees through a donation matching program.
In Hong Kong, the Citi Foundation has donated US$150,000 (around HK$1.17 million) to Feeding Hong Kong for the provision of key food staples to vulnerable households. Citi Hong Kong also donated over 370,000 facemasks to Feeding Hong Kong, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the Hong Kong Unison and the government’s Social Welfare Department for distribution to people in need at a time when there has been a shortage of epidemic prevention supplies. Also, a cash donation of HK$150,000 has been made to the Community Chest’s Rainbow Fund, which helps individuals and families to overcome their immediate financial difficulties during this most uncertain time.
Michael Corbat, Citi CEO, said, “During a time of great uncertainty and economic hardship, my colleagues once again showed their generosity and compassion by contributing more than US$2 million of their own money to support COVID-19 relief efforts, which Citi matched with an additional US$2 million in donations. I couldn’t be more proud or grateful to work with people who put such a high value on supporting their communities and those in need.”
Furthering plans announced in April to donate net profits from Citi’s participation in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), US$25 million in initial proceeds from PPP has been donated to the Citi Foundation. The Citi Foundation is deploying US$15 million in unrestricted funding of up to US$500,000 per CDFI to support small businesses owned by people of color and low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. The remaining US$10 million in PPP net profits was deployed by the Citi Foundation to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to support the New York Forward Loan Fund, which is enabling CDFIs making loans to small businesses, nonprofits and small landlords for working capital, including payroll, operating and emergency maintenance.
These philanthropic efforts complement Citi’s partnership with the National Banking Association, and the creation of a purchasing facility to assume up to $50 million in Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program loans from Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs).
Additional immediate relief and investments in longer-term solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic around the world include:
Asia Pacific
Committed US$1 million of trading revenue to United Nations Development Programme through an employee-led initiative to support vulnerable communities across the region, including low-income families and migrant workers
Contributed funds to The Edge COVID-19 Pandemic Funds in Malaysia to purchase and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators to hospitals, as well as provide financial assistance to healthcare workers
Contributed funds to Rotary Club in Sri Lanka to provide medical support such as lab equipment, test kits and PPE
North America
Donated US$2.5 million to support World Central Kitchen’s #ChefsForAmerica relief effort, specifically funding 250,000 meals to those in need across the U.S. and also helping the restaurant industry and small businesses keep their doors open
Providing US$1 million to Credit Builders Alliance and its members to offer Housing Stability Loans in NYC, Long Island, Westchester, Miami and Chicago; loans will help unemployed or underemployed workers avoid eviction or foreclosure, and maintain credit scores
Donated funds to provide 5,000 free annual Citi Bike memberships to eligible critical workers in New York City
Provided funding to IMPACCT Brooklyn to help their clients apply for assistance from government programs, increase their standard of living, secure small business assistance and preserve homeownership
Provided funding to Working Credit in Chicago to help scale their digital services such as employer-based financial counseling and credit building services, allowing the organization to serve more people across a broader range of industries and geographies
Contributed funds to the San Francisco Children’s Council to launch the Emergency Child Care program for children of healthcare and emergency service workers
Pledged contributions to HomeFree-USA to help deliver housing counseling services for low-income individuals, including capacity building, technology, outreach and small business assistance
Latin America
Committed charitable contributions to Comité de Ayuda a Desastres y Emergencias Nacionales in Mexico to provide protective medical equipment for healthcare workers
Committed funds to Children International in Ecuador to provide food provisions for 1,300 young people and their families
Pledged contributions to Am Cham in Paraguay to provide over 60,000 meal kits to vulnerable families, as well as 600 sanitation kits to help combat the spread of COVID-19
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Pledged contributions to South Africa’s Solidarity Fund to contribute to the national response, including programs focused on economic recovery and financial stability, medical support including COVID-19 screening and testing, and food provisions for low-income families
Committed funding to Felix Project in the UK and Banco Alimentare della Lombardia in Italy as part of a campaign through which the EMEA Rates business donated $1 per $1 million traded; funds are providing meals for impacted families in London and Lombardy, as well as support for frontline healthcare workers
Contributed funds to UNICEF Kazakhstan to support access to virtual learning opportunities for vulnerable students
Through the generosity and engagement of colleagues around the world, Citi raised over US$4 million through its Double the Good employee donation campaign. Having exceeded the US$2 million goal in colleague donations, Citi is donating US$500,000 to each of the four organizations selected by Citi’s regions to address unique challenges: United Nations Development Programme (Asia Pacific), International Rescue Committee (Europe, Middle East and Africa), the International Organization for Migration (Latin America) and Direct Relief (North America).
In addition, Citi continues to take proactive measures to preserve the well-being of employees globally. Citi is also offering assistance to impacted customers through credit card payment deferrals, fee waivers, hardship programs, and additional small business support.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
