Citizens Bank Begins Ninth Annual Gear for Grades

More than 125 volunteers packed school supplies into 6,000 backpacks for students in need of back-to-school gear Tuesday night at a Cranston warehouse.

Many of the backpacks, prepared by industrious volunteers at Coast to Coast Promotional Products' warehouse, 29 Lark Industrial Parkway, Cranston, will be delivered to Woonsocket schools at the start of school, part of the Gear for Grades program. The program started nine years ago, according to Ned Handy, President of Citizens Bank, Rhode Island. The volunteers worked from 5 to 8 p.m.

From the very beginning Coast to Coast Promotional Products, Recycling for Rhode Island Education, the YMCA and Connecting Children and Families in Woonsocket, have cooperated to make this fundraiser happen.

Handy said, "We want to help kids who would otherwise start school unprepared. The average cost of supplies per child is approximately $603. We hope to make a difference to these families and are very pleased that it has spread across the Citizens Bank footprint."

The one behind the event is Kathy O'Donnell, who organized it in 2003.  "I had seen an increase in requests for backpacks and school supplies. The kids don't have that excitement that I had when I was a kid. We are happy that we are able to do for so many," O'Donnell said.

Ashley Gingerella, a public affairs specialist with Citizens Bank, has worked on this program for five years. Gingerella said, "Citizens Bank is the type of company that really believes in its local community. We don't just write a check, we actually make it happen."

Between packing up those backpacks, listening to music provided by WPRO-FM, who also had lots of prizes, pizza and soda for all, it was a perfect night to give back to our community, she said.

"Citizens Bank makes it happen," Gingerella added.