July 5, 2007

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP ORGANIZED FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS (BLOCS) RECEIVES DONATION FROM SOVEREIGN BANK

Sovereign Bank has donated $80,000 through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) to Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Jack Killen, senior vice president of Sovereign Bank and president of the Sovereign Bank Foundation, recently presented each principal of the Archdiocesan Schools for Special Education with a $10,000 check for scholarship tuition assistance. The schools are: Archangels' Academy, Levittown; Archbishop Ryan School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, Norwood; St. Katherine Day School, Wynnewood; St. Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments, Philadelphia and Our Lady of Confidence Day School, Willow Grove.

Killen advised the principals that Sovereign Bank would make a $25,000 contribution through the Catholic Charities Appeal, resulting in each school receiving an additional $5,000 to use for operation needs. Killen is also the chairperson of the newly formed Special Education Advisory Board in the Office of Catholic Education.

Sovereign Bank has supported BLOCS through the EITC program since its inception in 2001. BLOCS, under the direction of Deacon John K. Hunter, is committed to raising financial assistance for families that wish to provide their children with a value-based Catholic education, regardless of race, religion, or nationality.

For information about Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools, please visit www.blocs.org. To obtain photographs of the check presentations, please contact (215) 587-3747.

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