MINDEN, Nev., Oct. 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- City National Bank today announced that it has partnered with C.C. Meneley Elementary School in Gardnerville, Nevada, as part of its "Reading is The Way Up(r)" child literacy program that the bank launched in 2002. In conjunction with today's announcement, the bank also donated nearly 500 brand new books to the school's library and $500 cash to the school's general fund to help pay for various educational programs.
C.C. Meneley is the bank's fifth elementary school in Nevada that it has adopted over the last four years. The bank began its at-risk school adoption program in 2003 with Helen Jydstrup Elementary School in Las Vegas, which was followed by Lois Craig Elementary in North Las Vegas and John C. Fremont Elementary in Carson City in 2004, and Elmcrest Elementary in Reno in 2007.
"We are extremely proud to partner with C.C. Meneley and the wonderful educators and students who are a part of this school," said Jerry Gregory, senior vice president and northern Nevada regional manager of City National Bank. "Today's book and monetary donations are the beginning of our commitment to helping school administration make a difference in the lives of the 572 students attending this school."
Gregory added that in addition to today's book and monetary donations, the bank will also be providing C.C. Meneley with human resources in the way of bank colleagues volunteering their time in the classroom. The bank allows its colleagues up to three hours a month paid time to volunteer in public and private schools. The bank also offers teachers in Nevada and California the opportunity each year to apply for a $500 Reading is The Way Up Literacy Grant. Last year, the bank donated more than $53,000 to teachers in support of its child literacy program.
"City National Bank is to be commended for its community outreach and particularly its strong support of education," said Carol Lark, superintendent of schools in Douglas County. "The school board was so thrilled when they were informed of the bank's decision to partner with C.C. Meneley and the generous book and monetary donations that launched this new partnership."
Approximately 30 percent of the nearly 500 books the bank donated to C.C. Meneley are in several different foreign languages. Of the 572 students attending C.C. Meneley, over 160 of these students are from various ethnic backgrounds, including Hispanic, African-American, American Indian, and Asian. Since 2002, when the bank's child literacy program was initially launched in California, City National Bank has donated over $2 million in support of education and more than 25,000 books to school libraries in Nevada and California. (For more information about this award-winning educational program, go to www.readingisthewayup.org.)
City National Bank participates in a number of other education outreach programs in Nevada, including its "One Class at a Time" teacher recognition program with FOX5 and the Clark County School District, the Academy of Finance with Clark High School in Las Vegas, the Paybac and Focus School Programs with the Clark County School District, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Reno, the Desert Research Institute in Las Vegas, and more.
About City National
City National Bank is the wholly-owned subsidiary of City National Corporation (NYSE:CYN). It is backed by $15.8 billion in assets and provides banking, investment and trust services through 62 offices, including 15 full-service regional centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada and New York City. The company and its nine majority-owned investment affiliates manage or administer more than $57 billion in client investment assets, including $35.9 billion under direct management.
City National has eight branch offices in Nevada, including four in Las Vegas and one each in North Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City and Minden. The bank also has loan production offices in Reno and Stateline in South Lake Tahoe.
For more information about City National, visit the company's website at www.cnb.com.
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