BBVA Compass and NBA Cares bring books, basketball and fitness to Pharr elementary school

PHARR, Texas, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NBA legends Robert Horry, T.J. Ford, Bob Lanier and Felipe Lopez today brought books, basketball, fitness and more to Cesar Chavez Elementary School as part of BBVA Compass and NBA Cares' Team. Works. In Schools joint initiative.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121108/DA09433)

The program is designed to enhance the overall learning environment for students and faculty.

"The bank's top corporate citizenship priority is supporting public education," said BBVA Compass McAllen City President Robert McDaniel. "We see it as a huge investment in the future, and teaming up with the NBA has allowed us to help bridge the achievement gap in schools across the bank's footprint, especially in struggling areas."

The basketball legends joined more than 20 BBVA Compass volunteers to read aloud to students and to help catalog and shelve more than 500 new books in the library, including 360 English, Spanish and bilingual books for students in kindergarten through second grade through the bank's Reading Counts literacy program. Thirty tablet computers and a laptop also were donated to the school's fifth-grade class as part of the initiative.

In addition, NBA legends guided students through fitness and basketball activities during an NBA FIT clinic, which encourages students to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

"We are proud to take part in a program that emphasizes the importance of volunteerism, and more importantly allows students to actively participate," said Principal Roel Faz. "After today's volunteer efforts, our students should have a newfound sense of pride in their school and education."

This marks the third consecutive year that BBVA Compass and NBA Cares have teamed up for the Team. Works. In Schools initiative to revamp schools across the bank's footprint. The event marks the 13th hands-on service project since the program's inception in 2010.

About BBVA Group

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt region of the United States. Its diversified business is geared toward high-growth markets and relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. BBVA ranks among the leading eurozone banks in terms of return on equity and efficiency. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass

BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates more than 709 branches, including 368 in Texas, 93 in Alabama, 79 in Arizona, 65 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 21 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 20 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (5th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the leading Small Business Administration lenders and ranked third in American Banker's 2012 reputation study of the leading 30 banks in the U.S. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at www.bbvacompass.com.

Editor's Note:

BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank. Compass Bank, member FDIC.

About NBA Cares

NBA Cares is the league's global social responsibility program that builds on the NBA's mission of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world.  Through this program, the NBA, its teams and players have donated more than $205 million to charity, completed more than 2.1 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 750 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play, in 23 countries and territories on five continents.   NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: KaBOOM!, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

SOURCE BBVA Compass