PITTSBURGH --
Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV have named Oakland Planning and Development Corporation as its second quarter Champion in Action under the category of workforce development. Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, which has been providing workforce development services to clients and employers in the Pittsburgh region for over 20 years, will receive a $25,000 grant from the Citizens Bank Foundation and extensive volunteer and promotional support from Citizens Bank, WPXI-TV and Pittsburgh Cares.

“Citizens Bank is pleased to join WPXI-TV in naming the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation as our newest Champion in Action,” said Ralph J. Papa, Chairman of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. “Under the leadership of Executive Director David Blenk, this tremendous organization has made great strides in linking community residents to living wage, benefited jobs in the Pittsburgh region.”

“As an organization committed to the community, WPXI-TV is proud to partner with Citizens Bank to honor the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation,” said Ray Carter, WPXI-TV’s general manager. “On behalf of WPXI-TV, I congratulate the leadership, staff and volunteers of Oakland Planning and Development Corporation. Through their Hill-Oakland Workforce Collaborative they do a good job in helping to fill employment gaps in the regional healthcare industry.”

Through Champions in Action, Citizens and WPXI-TV recognize and support non-profit organizations for the contributions these groups make to communities in the Pittsburgh region. A new Champion in Action is selected each quarter among a range of social service areas.

Through Champions in Action, Oakland Planning and Development Corporation receives:

A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation.

Media coverage from WPXI-TV, including public service announcements and TV profile.

Volunteer support from Citizens and WPXI-TV employees.

Extensive public relations support.

Promotional support, highlighting the organization in all Citizens Bank branches.

Exposure on both Citizens Bank and WPXI-TV Web sites.

What makes Oakland Planning and Development Corporation a Champion in Action?

• Through the Hill-Oakland Workforce Collaborative, the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation provides clients with effective job search techniques, resume preparation, basic computer training and health care training. Through relationships with many Pittsburgh businesses and institutions, the Collaborative is informed about new job openings and can recommend people whose skills match the requirements.
• The Hill-Oakland Workforce Collaborative provides several programs to assist their clients in obtaining employment. Their Job*Links program helps people with little employment experience and high barriers to employment begin to build a work history. The Health Employment Access program prepares clients for jobs in healthcare by providing computer and customer service skills, medical terminology instruction, and CPR training. Through their School to Career program, inner-city youth are equipped with the skills they need to establish and pursue their career dreams.
• Since the program’s inception in 2001, the agency has assisted over 7,000 clients to better compete in the job market. Their Hill-Oakland Workforce Collaborative program has matched over 2,700 people with local employers and 80 percent of those employees continue to be employed at six months. With innovative programs such as training in Certified Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide trainings, Oakland Planning and Development is growing our region’s workforce and providing career-focused employment for thousands of disadvantaged people.

“We are honored to be recognized as a Champion in Action,” said David Blenk, Executive Director of the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation. “Many area residents lack the knowledge and the skills to obtain gainful employment. At Oakland Planning, we prepare people for careers in healthcare and match them with employers that need their skill sets.”

In addition to the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation the following organizations have been selected as Champions in Action since the program was introduced in western Pennsylvania in 2004: Wilkinsburg Community Ministry, Aliquippa Alliance for Unity and Development, Beginning with Books, The Neighborhood Academy, HEARTH, Human Services Center Corporation, Washington Community Arts and Cultural Center, Rainbow Kitchen Community Services, Sojourner House MOMS, Little Sisters of the Poor, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, Health Hope Network, YouthPlaces, and the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation.

For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit www.citizensbank.com or www.wpxi.com. To learn more about Oakland Planning and Development Corporation visit www.oaklandplanning.org.

About Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania:
Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania is a $33 billion state-chartered bank with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It has 400 branches, more than 660 ATMs throughout Pennsylvania. It also operates 11 retail branches and 13 ATMs in southern New Jersey. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $148 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,100 ATMs and more than 27,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and non-branch offices in more than 30 states. Citizens is the eighth-largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). Citizens’ Web site is citizensbank.com.

About WPXI:
WPXI-TV is a Cox Television station in the Pittsburgh television market. Cox Television includes 15 television stations, three national television sales representation firms, a television production company, and a Washington, D.C. news office. Cox Television is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., based in Atlanta. WPXI-TV’s Web site is www.wpxi.com.