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Bank of America is expanding its financial commitment to military veterans, first responders and 9/11 memorial organizations nationwide as the country prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Headlining the corporate giving initiative is a new $250,000 commitment to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s “Veteran Villages” project. The initiative delivers permanent housing alongside comprehensive support services to homeless and vulnerable veterans across 14 U.S. markets, including Las Vegas, Detroit, Buffalo, Charlotte, Long Island and New Jersey. As part of the deployment, corporate employees will assemble 3,000 “Welcome Home” care kits for veterans entering these facilities.
“Bank of America’s support for our Veteran Villages will change the lives of veterans who have struggled after returning home, providing them with a safe place to live and the support they need,” Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of Tunnel to Towers Foundation, said in a statement. “We’re grateful for their commitment to make sure no veteran is left behind on the streets of the country they served.”
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The institutional sponsorship expands on more than $160 million in cumulative support Bank of America has funneled toward military service members and emergency responders over the past 15 years.
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“September 11 is a deeply significant part of our shared history,” said Brian Moynihan, chair and chief executive officer of Bank of America. “As we remember those who lost their lives and recognize all who responded in service and sacrificed so much, we are continuing our longstanding support for first responders, veterans, military service members and the organizations that serve them.”
On the cultural and historical front, the banking giant is stepping in as lead sponsor for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum’s new exhibition, “In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11 Inspired Service.” A $1 million allocation brings Bank of America’s lifetime backing for the museum past $20 million. Additionally, the bank is releasing $100,000 in refreshed funding for the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial ahead of a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Visitor Education Center in Arlington, Virginia.
In Manhattan, the bank is co-sponsoring the “Chairs of Remembrance” visual installation in Bryant Park, which displays 2,753 vacant chairs pointing south to symbolize the victims lost at the World Trade Center site. Tied to that display, the firm is granting $75,000 split evenly among the New York City Police Foundation, the FDNY Foundation, and the Port Authority PBA Widows’ and Children’s Fund.
Beyond cash contributions, company staff have committed to 25,000 volunteer hours supporting military and first responder efforts through the end of the year.
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Legal teams and corporate staff participating in the “Wills for Heroes” project across 12 regions will draft free estate-planning documents for local emergency responders and spouses. More than 600 Merrill financial advisors and staff across nearly two dozen cities will also pack food for regional food pantries alongside non-profit 9/11 Day, while hundreds of employee runners will participate in the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K in New York City.
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