Fifth Third Bank (South Florida) Presents Second Annual 'Back to School' Supply Drive

NAPLES, Fla., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fifth Third Bank (South Florida) has announced its second annual "Back to School" supply drive, a project to provide local schoolchildren with free backpacks and school supplies.

From August 16 through September 3, the bank will collect and receive donations of school supplies through collection bins placed in its Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, and Palm Beach County locations. In addition, this year, the partnership has expanded to include the bank's Manatee County locations.

Last year, donations from Fifth Third Bank employees, customers and visitors filled more than 1,000 individual backpacks full of school supplies. The supplies were distributed to students throughout South Florida in individual backpacks provided by the bank. Supplies and backpacks are distributed in conjunction with the education foundation to students in need of assistance.  

"Through this partnership, Fifth Third Bank hopes to equip children -- who might otherwise go without these essentials  -- with all of the tools and materials they need to go confidently in the direction of their dreams,"  said David Call, President and CEO, Fifth Third Bank (South Florida). 

The public is encouraged to donate supplies at any Fifth Third Bank in the area; for the nearest location, visit www.53.com.  Suggested items include #2 pencils, spiral notebooks, 8- or 24-count boxes of crayons, washable glue or glue sticks, full-size boxes of tissue, anti-bacterial wipes or hand sanitizer, gallon- or sandwich-size zip lock bags, etc.  Donations of gift cards to office supply stores or retail school supply vendors are also welcomed; the partners will purchase supplies from the school-issued supply list and distribute during the drive.

About The Education Foundation of Collier County

Founded in 1990, The Education Foundation of Collier County is an independent not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization that engages our community and schools in pursuit of a quality education for every child.  Everyone has a role to play in educating our community's children.  We invite you to find your seat and get on the bus!  Visit www.EducationForCollier.org.  Charity Navigator (www.CharityNavigator.org) has awarded The Education Foundation the highest 4-star rating for sound fiscal management for two consecutive years. Contact: Susan McManus, (239) 643-4755

About The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc.

The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools enhances and enriches public education in Lee County by increasing community involvement in, and support for, Lee County District public schools. The Foundation is lead by dedicated community trustees who recognize that a quality public education system is essential for a prosperous economy. Through corporate and individual partnerships and donations, The Foundation is able to offer programs and resources that help all of our teachers and students excel.

The Teacher Resource Center, a major initiative of The Foundation, was created to offer new and reusable items and school supplies to benefit teachers and their students. School budgets cannot always supply our children with the resources they need to succeed in school. Hundreds of teachers visit The Teacher Resource Center to acquire the tools that give our students an advantage. Contact: Mischa Talokonnikoff, (239) 337-0433, [email protected]

About Manatee Education Foundation

The Manatee Education Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in 1988, which provides direct and indirect support to the Manatee County School District through a variety of programs that benefit students and teachers. The Foundation acts as a liaison between the private sector and the public school system providing avenues for business, industry and community involvement in public education. Our mission is accomplished by addressing key issues and needs within the public education arena, and presenting effective, efficient and accountable opportunities for the private sector to support quality public education. Contact: Tricia McKay May, (941) 708-8770, ext. 2149, [email protected]  

About The Education Foundation of Sarasota County

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County is an independent, not-for-profit organization that works in partnership with the community and Sarasota County public schools to invest in every child's success.  With the support of  individuals, families, companies and foundations, the Education Foundation awards more than a million dollars each year to initiatives including the Texcellence Computer Donation program, Teacher of the Year, Academic Olympics, Science Fair, classroom grants, fine arts programs, and literacy initiatives.  For more information visit www.EdFoundation.net or call (941) 927-0965.  Contact: Laura Breeze, (941) 927-0965, [email protected]  

About The Education Foundation of Palm Beach County

The Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, Inc. is dedicated to advancing excellence in Palm Beach County's public education by increasing public awareness and inspiring community and business support for programs focused on learning, literacy, and leadership. To that end, the Foundation works with corporations, foundations and individual donors to increase the availability of resources necessary to achieve academic success. Annually, the Foundation provides funding and resources that benefit thousands of students and teachers throughout Palm Beach County. Contact: Tracy L. Rudnick, 561-434-8428, [email protected]

About Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bank (South Florida), headquartered in Naples, has 62 banking centers serving the communities of Naples, Marco Island, Ft. Myers, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Bradenton, Cape Coral, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Ft. Lauderdale. Fifth Third Bank offers full-service banking convenience, including mortgage, private banking, corporate banking, trust, investments, and currency exchange for 110 countries.

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $112 billion in assets, operates 16 affiliates with 1,309 full-service Banking Centers, including 102 Bank Mart® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,364 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 49% interest in Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2010, had $178 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $24 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(R) National Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB."

SOURCE Fifth Third Bank