Flushing Bank Announces Community Scholarship for NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program at P.S. 22Q

UNIONDALE, N.Y., Jan. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flushing Financial Corporation (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: FFIC), the parent holding company for Flushing Bank (the “Bank”), attended an event celebrating NYC Scholarship Month at P.S. 22Q Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. The event was well attended by parents and guardians of kindergartners and first graders, school officials, and local government and community leaders. The Bank presented a check for a Community Scholarship to the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program to support the college and career futures of first grade and kindergarten students at P.S. 22Q.

John R. Buran, President and CEO of Flushing Bank, stated, “We are excited to once again support the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program. This is a great example of how we, as a community bank, demonstrate our commitment to local communities and their dreams for students’ higher education through contributions to grassroots initiatives that make such a powerful positive impact on families. We are pleased to continue our support of this program, which is designed to drive neighborhood-level changes in economic opportunity and mobility by promoting asset building and reinforcing college and career-building expectations.”

“I can’t think of a better way to show children that we believe in their potential than by coming together to make a tangible investment in their future,” said Council Member Sandra Ung. “The Save for College Program gives all NYC students the opportunity to pursue higher education or career training, an opportunity that isn’t impeded by their economic background or immigration status. Thank you to Flushing Bank for their continued commitment to our children, and the P.S. 22 staff and faculty for supporting this important program. I look forward to opportunities to partner with NYC Kids RISE and help even more students achieve their educational goals. ”

“The Save for College Program has immense potential to make a world of difference for children and families across Queens and our entire City,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “This initiative shows families that higher learning is a real and accessible possibility for all children, regardless of their financial status, including the children of P.S. 22 right here in Flushing. Thank you to Flushing Bank for its generous show of support for not only the program, but the students who will benefit from this investment for years to come.”

“Coming together with families, Councilmember Ung, Flushing Bank, and the P.S. 22 school community was an amazing example of the way that NYC Kids RISE works as a universal, community-driven wealth-building platform,” said Debra-Ellen Glickstein, Founding Executive Director, NYC Kids RISE. “It takes all of us to ensure young New Yorkers have the resources, expectations, and confidence they need to develop and pursue their dreams of college and career. This month, 70,000 more kindergartners and first graders are one major step closer to those dreams because they now have an NYC Scholarship Account. We thank Councilmember Ung for her ongoing leadership, and Flushing Bank for their investment in the kids of P.S. 22, and encourage all kindergarten and first grade families to activate and view their children’s accounts today.”

“As the young students in our District 25 community grow, so will their NYC Scholarship Accounts through community contributions through the Save for College Program, like this Community Scholarship from Flushing Bank for the children of P.S. 22Q,” said Danielle DiMango, District Superintendent. “I am excited to work with schools and partners across this school district and beyond so that families will see even more money in their childrens’ accounts in the coming years, and to ensure they have the tools, resources, and information they need to take full advantage of the Save for College Program.”

“The support of Flushing Bank, Council Member Ung and local elected officials, NYC Kids RISE, the Department of Education, and the City of New York is truly a game-changer for the families of our first graders and kindergartners,” said Jennifer Meyer, Principal of P.S. 22Q Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. “I see excitement on the faces of our students and joy on those of their families when they learn that there are resources dedicated to their futures. NYC Scholarship Month is just the beginning of a long and important journey for our children towards their college and career goals.”

“I am very glad to learn about the Save for College Program and to see the funds in my daughter's NYC Scholarship Account to be used for college and career training, opening up more opportunities for her career in the future,” said Wei Quan, parent of a P.S. 22Q first grade student in the Save for College Program. “As I hear more about the steps I can take now and how the money gets added into these accounts, including through the new Community Scholarship from Flushing Bank, I am happy to know that my child, and other children across the city, are being supported by the community.”

About Flushing Financial Corporation

Flushing Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: FFIC) is the holding company for Flushing Bank^®, an FDIC insured, New York State—chartered commercial bank that operates banking offices in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and on Long Island. The Bank has been building relationships with families, business owners, and communities since 1929. Today, it offers the products, services, and conveniences associated with large commercial banks, including a full complement of deposit, loan, equipment finance, and cash management services. Rewarding customers with personalized attention and bankers who can communicate in the languages prevalent within these multicultural markets is what makes the Bank uniquely different. As an Equal Housing Lender and leader in real estate lending, the Bank’s experienced lending teams create mortgage solutions for real estate owners and property managers both within and outside the New York City metropolitan area. The Bank also fosters relationships with consumers nationwide through its online banking division with the iGObanking^® and BankPurely^® brands.

Additional information on Flushing Bank and Flushing Financial Corporation may be obtained by visiting the Company’s website at FlushingBank.com.

About NYC Kids RISE

The NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program is a universal community-driven wealth building platform for New York City neighborhoods. The Program expands access to mainstream financial products; builds individual, family, and collective financial assets; provides financial education for families and students; and brings schools and communities together to support all our children’s futures. In the fall of 2017, the Save for College Program launched as a pilot in the communities of Queens School District 30 through a partnership between NYC Kids RISE, the NYC Department of Education, and the City of New York, with founding and ongoing support from the Gray Foundation.

Through the Save for College Program starting in the 2021-2022 school year, and every year going forward, students in eligible grades enrolled in an NYC public elementary school (including participating charter schools) automatically receive an NYC Scholarship Account invested in a NY 529 Direct Plan account with an initial $100 seed allocation and opportunities to earn more through early rewards, unless their families choose not to participate. Their families can open and connect a college and career savings account that they own for the benefit of their child, and communities can contribute to groups of these NYC Scholarship Accounts through Community Scholarships as both a targeted and universal platform for community-driven asset-building in every neighborhood. Community Scholarships are a way for communities to leverage their unique assets, institutions, and traditions to visibly and tangibly support their children’s educational futures by contributing to and fundraising for students’ NYC Scholarship Accounts. Students also receive age-appropriate financial education in the classroom through related curriculum extensions. NYC Kids RISE is a nonprofit organization managing the Save for College Program in partnership with the NYC Department of Education and the City of New York.

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Contact:
Maria A. Grasso
Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Flushing Bank
718-961-5400