BMO Financial Group Employees Raise a Record $1.15 Million for Charities in British Columbia in 2010
VANCOUVER, November 25, 2010 – The employees of BMO Financial Group in B.C. & Yukon raised a total of $1,158,352 during the BMO Employee Charitable Foundation 2009/2010 fundraising campaign – an amazing milestone achieved through employee payroll pledges, fundraisers in branches and generous donations from BMO customers.
� The 2009/2010 campaign helped fund 504 charitable organizations in B.C. & Yukon.
� More than $10 million was raised Canada-wide through employee pledges and fundraisers.
� The upcoming annual pledge campaign will partner with United Way across Canada.
� BMO Financial Group also contributed $55 million in corporate donations, sponsorships and events in Canada and the United States last year.
“My heartfelt appreciation goes to all BMO employees, Team Captains, customers of the bank and charity partners for making this million dollar goal a reality,” said Bruce Hogg, Chair, BC & Yukon Division, BMO Employee Charitable Foundation.
“It is through charities, our partners in life, that we are able to learn where we can be of assistance and where we can help make a difference in the communities where we work and live,” added Mr. Hogg.
“In all my many years with BMO Bank of Montreal, I'm most proud of BMO colleagues for giving their time, energy and expertise to make a difference in our society. At BMO, we have incredible caring and giving employees,” said Joanne Gassman, Interim Head, BC & Yukon Division, BMO Bank of Montreal.
As an example of the praise given to BMO employees for their efforts, the Surrey Food Bank is awarding BMO Bank of Montreal the “Bettering the Bank” Award in recognition of the BMO Employee Charitable Foundation donation towards their new client registration system.
BMO Financial Group is taking a new approach to the upcoming employee giving campaign. The long standing tradition of generosity and community involvement continues. This year across Canada, BMO is partnering with the United Way in each region to collect employee pledges. No other organization better understands the needs of our local communities than the United Way, especially as it relates to helping break the cycle of poverty. This alignment is a great fit, as many of the charities supported by the United Way mirror the most popular charities already supported by BMO employees in their respective communities.
Given the key role they play in our communities, supporting the United Way will assist thousands of local charities from the need to independently raise funds. Some of these charities include shelters, breakfast and afterschool programs, drop-in centres, playground and meals on wheels programs, which are vital to improving the lives of millions across Canada.
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Media Contact:
Laurie Grant, 604-665-7596, laurie.grant@bmo.com