Clarien Bank is pleased to announce it has provided a financial boost of $106,000 to six not-for-profit organisations on the Island, as part of its annual giving programme.

Recipients include The Reading Clinic, Family Centre, PALS, WindReach Bermuda, Team Hurricane Basketball Academy and the Construction Association of Bermuda.

The donations were made through The Clarien Foundation, a charitable trust that oversees all charitable efforts and donations made by Clarien. Representatives from the not-for-profit organisations were on hand yesterday afternoon [Tuesday April 2nd] for a check presentation; they included:

• Construction Association of Bermuda $5,000.00

• Family Centre $30,000.00

• PALS $10,000.00

• Team Hurricane Basketball Academy $5,000.00

• The Reading Clinic $50,000.00

• WindReach Bermuda $6,000.00

Ian Truran, Chief Executive Officer of Clarien Bank, said: “On our quest to become Bermuda’s best bank, Clarien has remained committed to investing in the local community. Through financial and in kind support to charities, our aim is to improve the lives of all Bermudians and ultimately strengthen the fabric of our society.

“With this said, it is our pleasure today to be able to support these six not-for-profit organisations as they carry out their important work in Bermuda. We are proud to once again assist The Reading Clinic in its efforts to provide literacy programmes to children pre-school age and up, as well as the Family Centre, which offers early intervention services to children suffering from family based problems.

“This year, we also have the opportunity to assist some not-for-profits for the first time, including Team Hurricane Basketball Academy, Bermuda’s first and original elite youth basketball academy, which aims to build high character student-athletes who bring a commitment and joy to the game. We are grateful to assist each of these organisations as they continue to make strides to better Bermuda.”

Kevin Grant, The Reading Clinic, Board President

“As The Reading Clinic celebrates its 50th Anniversary we are really thrilled for the continued support from Clarien, as a lead sponsor of our i-play programme [for pre-school literacy] which is entering in its eighth year. Their generosity and support from Clarien makes a difference in the lives of many children, as we continue to develop the initiative and prepare these young minds for future reading and success.”

Colleen English DeGrilla, PALS, Executive Director: “Clarien’s generous donation will help us improve the quality of life for patients with cancer. Both Clarien and its sister company Colonial Insurance Group have been the major sponsors of our annual walk for the past few years. We couldn’t hold the walk without their help, not just financially, but through the water stops they host, which motivate walkers on their way to the finish line. It has always been phenomenal working with Clarien and we are grateful for their kind support.”

Tammalita Joseph, WindReach, Fund Development Manager: “WindReach is in the midst of celebrating our 20th Anniversary and Clarien have supported us for over nine years. Their donation means so much to us, with funding going directly to our therapeutic programmes. We have over 200 individuals who benefit from this support on a weekly basis, so we are excited and thankful for the continued support.”

Douglas Reed, Team Hurricane Basketball Academy, Leader: “It means a lot to us to have Clarien’s support. This is our first time receiving a donation from Clarien. It will help us with our training and educational programmes and goes a long way in helping us to fulfill our mission of using basketball as a vehicle for significant change in the lives of young Bermudians.”

Martha Dismont, Family Centre, Executive Director: “Clarien has offered us consistent support for a number of years now, which allows us to consistently service families in Bermuda. It’s not an option for us to let go of families if we are short on money. So Clarien’s financial support and the level of support is huge because it allows us to use qualified and expert staff to do this important work for families in need.”

Simon Tully, Construction Association of Bermuda, President: “The money that we receive from Clarien goes towards the CAOB scholarship fund which benefits Bermudian students who are studying construction related degrees overseas. Clarien has helped the CAOB by signing on as the title sponsor of the Kids In Construction event several times in the last ten years. We are grateful for them to once again come on board and look forward to working with them in the future.”

For more information about The Clarien Foundation, visit www.clarienbank.com.

• Press release from Clarien Bank