ING DIRECT Canada Donates Three Hundred Backpacks Filled With School Supplies

September 9, 2010, Ottawa, ON – Three hundred elementary school students were sporting new backpacks, on Tuesday, the first day of school. The backpacks were filled with 14 different school supplies, including everything from paper, to pens, and pencil cases. The backpacks and supplies were courtesy of both ING DIRECT Canada and their local Ottawa Call Centre. ING DIRECT is continuing to work in partnership with the Education Foundation of Ottawa (EFO) to eliminate economic obstacles to successful learning.

Pinecrest Public School Principal, Bruce Hubbard, said ING representatives will be at the school on Friday, September 10, 2010 at 1:30 p.m.- to ensure that all students who required a back pack have one. The school is located at 1281 Pinecrest Road, Ottawa.

EFO Chairman Jim Orban said, “The backpacks provide students with a solid foundation to begin the new school year.” He added that “every child deserves an equal opportunity to become successful in life.” Mr. Orban says that ING DIRECT’s commitment to being a good corporate citizen is commendable. The employees at the local ING DIRECT office approached the Foundation with a simple mission to help students in need.

"We are delighted to continue giving the kids in our community the starter kit they need for the beginning of the school year,” said Peter Aceto, President and CEO at ING DIRECT Canada. “At ING DIRECT we are committed to helping the communities where we work and live, and at this time of the year we think particularly about helping youth get off to a great start for learning.”

About ING-DIRECT
ING DIRECT is Canada's leading direct bank with over 1.6 million Clients and more than $29 billion in total assets. ING DIRECT gives the power of saving to all Canadians by offering high-value, simple products such as high interest savings accounts with no fees or service charges, and low rates on mortgages. Low cost, index based mutual funds are sold through ING DIRECT Funds Limited. ING DIRECT has been operating in Canada since 1997, and paid more than $4 billion in interest to Clients.

For more information visit: ingdirect.ca, on mobile devices at m.ingdirect.ca or by calling 1-800 ING DIRECT (1-800-464-3473).

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For more information, please contact: Jane Fulton, Education Foundation of Ottawa, 613-596-8211 ext. 8303 or Sharlene Hunter, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board at 613-596-8791 or Lynnette Visaya, ING DIRECT at 416-758-5544.