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Local Voices

Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay) Raises Funds for Folds of Honor; Helping to Provide Scholarships for Veterans and Military Families

Tampa, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2014) — Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay) and Folds of Honor Foundation – a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled while serving our great nation – teamed up to make educational dreams come true for Tampa-area military families, raising more than $5,700.

 

According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 284,000 veterans live in the Tampa Bay area. To support those troops and their families, Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay) has partnered with the Folds of Honor Foundation and Rebuilding Together to lead the following efforts:

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Collecting Donations for Education: For the past two months, all 48 Tampa Bay area Fifth Third banking centers collected donations for the Folds of Honor scholarship program. The unique scholarships awarded by the Folds of Honor Foundation are intended to offset the rising costs of tuition and fees, textbooks, room and board, course-required tools, approved tutoring and other school-related expenses. At the conclusion of the campaign, Fifth Third Bank matched donations up to $5,000 locally. Thanks to funds raised by generous banking clients, 13 Folds of Honor scholarship recipients attend college in the Tampa Bay area.

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Tampa-based scholarship recipient Peter Nguyen said, “Before receiving this scholarship, I had to pay for school with student loans and a part time job. I was working 30 to 40 hours a week on top of a full 14-hours/semester course load. My stress levels were very high. At first, I planned on completing my degree by taking six to 12 credit hours a semester and taking six years to finish, but with the scholarship I have the funds to take full 12 to 15 credit hour semesters and the dream of graduating within four years is now a reality.”

 

Creating Hope by Rebuilding Homes: In November, more than 15 local bank employees joined Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit that provides critical home repairs and renovations for low-income families. This year, they helped refurbish the home of Kathryn Branham, a 56-year-old Army veteran who lives in Tampa with her daughter, Kiona. This local effort is part of a larger nationwide mission: Fifth Third Bank (Bancorp) has donated $150,000 to Rebuilding Together for eight home rebuild projects for veterans in six U.S. cities, which all took place in November 2013.

 

“We are honored to be able to serve our veterans, military and their families. By collecting donations to support education, and to help rebuild homes, we hope to give back to those who have already given so much,” said Brian Lamb, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay).

 

“Fifth Third Bank continues to be a strong supporter in our mission to leave no family behind on the field of battle,” said Thomas Tansil, executive director for the Folds of Honor Foundation. “We are extremely humbled by the generosity from the bank, and look forward to a long relationship.”

 

To find the nearest Fifth Third Bank financial center, visit www.53.com.

 

 

About Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $126 billion in assets and operates 18 affiliates with 1,326 full-service Banking Centers, including 104 Bank Mart® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,374 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 25% interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of September 30, 2013, had $318 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $27 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858.  Member FDIC.   

 

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