FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
October 20, 2006
Citibankers Help Students in Guam “Get Smart About Credit”
Equipped with their financial know-how, calculators, and hand-outs, last week Guam Citibank employees reached out to five schools across the island, to commemorate “Get Smart About Credit Day” – an annual program of the American Bankers Association Education Foundation to raise student awareness about the responsible use of credit.
Since its inception in 2004, the number of students taught has grown from 36 two years ago to 326 today. This growth in outreach is very encouraging and supports Citibank’s future plans and initiatives to educate the young about financial matters. Volunteers taught students how to choose a credit card, what a credit score means and how to maintain good credit. The students questioned key terms like interest rates, finance charges, supplementary cards, co-signing and grace periods.
“Having 25% of our employees sign up to volunteer to educate our youth for this event demonstrates the unified view our volunteers have about the value of financial education. They realize that by interacting with the students and by sharing the ‘do’s and don’ts’ in the real financial world, they are making a difference in a young person’s future. Knowing that they have made a positive contribution is an experience that each volunteer treasures. Citigroup employees are proud of our legacy, and passionate volunteerism is our way of giving back to the community where we live and do business in," said Madhu Seshadri, Citigroup Country Officer. “We will continue to a be an active participant in American Bankers Association (ABA) and the Guam Bankers Association activities.”
The American Bankers Association founded in 1875 and whose mission is to serve its members by enhancing the role of financial services institutions as the preeminent providers of financial services, through its Education Foundation, has designated October 19, 2006 as Get Smart About Credit Day. This is the fourth Annual Get Smart About Credit Day. On this day, volunteer bankers throughout the U.S., including Guam, take their time to promote the importance of financial tools in planning for a student’s future.
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Citigroup
Citigroup, the leading global financial services company has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Major brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.