People's United Community Foundation Awards $2.34 Million to Nonprofit Organizations

BRIDGEPORT, CT – People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, announced today that it has awarded $2,335,300 to nonprofit organizations throughout its footprint during the 2011 fiscal year.

A total of 278 grants were awarded throughout the communities that People’s United Community Foundation serves in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Westchester County, New York. The grants were distributed to programs and services within the Foundation’s areas of focus, with 43 percent allocated to community development, 40 percent to youth development, and 17 percent towards affordable housing initiatives.

Since inception in 2007, People’s United Community Foundation has awarded $10,220,700, for a total of 863 grants to nonprofit organizations that serve individuals, families, and businesses within the communities where People’s United Bank operates.

“People’s United Community Foundation is pleased to have such a far-ranging and positive impact on so many remarkable agencies across our footprint, said Vincent Santilli, Executive Director, People’s United Community Foundation. “Our nonprofit partners are providing critical support to those in need through their programs and services, and we are proud to support their efforts.”

Established in 2007, People’s United Community Foundation was formed to help support programs and activities that enhance the quality of life for citizens in the communities that People’s United Bank serves. People’s United Bank, founded in 1842 and serving customers from New York to Maine, is the largest independent bank headquartered in New England. The Foundation places special emphasis on programs designed to promote economic self-sufficiency, education and improved conditions for low-income families and neighborhoods. The funding priorities of the Foundation include: community development, youth development, and affordable housing.