Santander Bank Wednesday announced it has awarded $25,000 to Lakewood Resource and Referral Center as part of $3.1 million in new grants to 73 organizations located throughout the Bank’s Northeastern U.S. footprint. Each year, Santander contributes millions of dollars and thousands of hours in volunteer time to community-based organizations making a measurable difference for underserved individuals and communities.

“The organizations we support reflect our values as a company and provide opportunities that enrich the lives and economic futures of underserved children, young adults and families,” said Jerry Plush, Chief Administrative Officer for Santander US. “Part of becoming the best bank in the communities we serve includes embracing the important responsibility we have to drive change and make meaningful contributions where we live and work.”

The Lakewood Resource and Referral Center will use Santander’s charitable contribution to arrange Financial Educational Seminars for the community, which is a new service that is a natural expansion of past outreach and educational activities. The free Financial Education Seminars will help residents better understand and manage their financial obligations. The LRRC offers a comprehensive array of housing counseling services to the public. The distinct mission is to enhance the quality of life of the low-income, insecure and vulnerable populations of Ocean County and its environs. The LRRC provides a comprehensive array of social services which address nutritional, healthcare, housing and home ownership needs. The goal is to empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency through the free counseling, training and intervention services. The staff is dedicated to providing services with respect, compassion and accountability. The LRRC serves 30,000 people annually.

The Bank awards grants three times a year to support initiatives in financial education, neighborhood revitalization, small business development, community services and affordable housing. In this round of funding, the largest percentage of dollars awarded – more than 38% – will support innovative financial education programs for low- and moderate-income teens and young adults, particularly those between the ages of 16 and 24. As part of these programs, Santander employees volunteer to teach money management skills at local schools and non-profit organizations. The company also launched a password-protected, proprietary website where participants can access additional courses and secure online tools to help them set personal financial goals, create savings plans and track their progress.

In 2015, the Bank awarded more than $4.5 million in charitable grants to 286 organizations throughout the Bank’s footprint and more than 1,500 employees across the Bank volunteered close to 13,700 hours in support of local non-profit organizations.

[TLS-Press Release]