Astoria Bank Kicks Off 15th Annual Kids Tools for School Drive

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., July 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Astoria Bank's 15th annual Kids Tools for School collection drive will take place throughout August to help prepare children for the start of the new school year. The program provides more than one ton of school supplies annually to thousands of local students whose families struggle to afford such necessary items as backpacks, notebooks, markers, crayons, pens and pencils, and more. The program makes a difference in the many New York communities and neighborhoods Astoria Bank serves, and fuels excitement for the start of the school year.

The community is invited to bring donations of new school supplies, or cash to purchase supplies, to any Astoria Bank branch in the greater New York metropolitan area.  Astoria will match up to $10,000 in cash donations to purchase additional supplies, and will distribute the supplies to more than 60 local schools, shelters and human service organizations, which rely on the drive each year. For a growing number of families facing financial hardships and other challenges, school supplies are an expense that often goes unmet, leaving children to face challenges of their own.

"We believe that every child deserves to be on a level playing field when they start school this year," said Brian Edwards, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Retail Banking. "Together, with generous support from our customers and others in the community, we are able to reach out to help as many children as possible and really make a difference. It's all about giving kids a better chance to succeed and feel good about themselves."

The Kids Tools for School collection drive is part of Astoria Bank's Education First initiative, which includes checking and savings accounts created with students in mind and an annual Teach Children to Save financial literacy program to promote the importance of saving from a young age. These programs and others were all designed to encourage lifelong learning in the communities Astoria Bank serves.

For information on how to donate supplies or for local branch locations and hours, visit www.astoriabank.com.

About Astoria Financial Corporation
Astoria Financial Corporation (NYSE: AF), with assets of $15.7 billion, is the holding company for Astoria Bank.  Established in 1888, Astoria Bank, with deposits in New York totaling $9.7 billion, is the second largest thrift depository in New York and provides the customers and local communities it serves with quality financial products and services through 86 convenient banking branch locations, one business banking office, and multiple delivery channels, including its enhanced website, www.astoriabank.com.  Astoria Bank commands a significant deposit market share in the attractive Long Island market, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties with a population exceeding that of 38 individual states.  Astoria Bank originates residential mortgage loans through its banking and loan production offices in New York, a broker network in four states, primarily along the East Coast, and correspondent relationships covering 13 states and the District of Columbia and originates multi-family and commercial real estate loans, primarily on rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartment buildings, located in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area.

SOURCE Astoria Bank