Military Warriors Support Foundation, Citizens Launch Hope4Heroes to Beautify and Strengthen Neighborhoods and Veteran-Owned Bronx County Businesses

• Applications for the program open to veteran owned businesses via https://militarywarriors.org/hope

• Hope4Heroes will select at least three recipients

• Recipients will receive one year of financial mentorship, as well as review of business assets, such as material support/equipment, website design/redesign, storefront improvements, or additional business needs.

BRONX, NY - Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF) and Citizens have partnered together through MWSF’s Hope4Heroes Program for a military veteran’s program specifically designed to mentor and provide support for small veteran-owned businesses in New York’s Bronx County. The program, which will select at least three veteran-owned small businesses in Bronx County, provides recipients one year of financial mentorship, as well as a review of business assets. From this review, they will receive tailored support, such as storefront renovation, material support, website improvement, or technical training. The program has long-reaching benefits for not only the veterans but their community as well.To be considered, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be an honorably discharged military veteran

• Own a business in Bronx County

Interested veterans can fill out an online application [https://militarywarriors.org/hope] and submit required documentation. Potential recipients will go through a thorough vetting process.Research shows that 83% of veterans in NYC are 45 years old and above and most small businesses in Bronx County have little storefront or online presence and rely heavily on word-of-mouth promotion. This is a major factor that can hinder the growth and long-term viability of that business. That’s where the Hope4Heroes Program steps in to help businesses identify specific areas where support is needed in that veteran’s small business.The program also continues Citizens’ longstanding commitment to fostering neighborhood revitalization, small business support and economic development. Citizens has hosted several community programs across the city supporting open streets, night markets, grants and support for small business and workforce development, and our partners have included Ukrainian Women’s League, Think!Chinatown, Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation, the Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation, and Pursuit. About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $226.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2022. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,300 ATMs and more than 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.For more information about Military Warriors Support Foundation Hope4Heroes program visit militarywarriors.org/hope4heroesLink to original press release: Military Warriors Support Foundation, Citizens Launch Hope4Heroes to Beautify and Strengthen Neighborhoods and Veteran-Owned Bronx County Businesses – Citizens Bank