News Releases

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Jun 5, 2014) - Launched over a decade ago, BMO Financial Group's annual Volunteer Day was celebrated on June 4^th. Nearly 6,000 BMO volunteers spread out across the U.S and Canada, volunteering in approximately 400 community service projects supporting hundreds of organizations.

"Our employees are big believers in giving back. It's a real source of pride across our company," said Mark Furlong, CEO, of BMO Harris Bank N.A. "Every year, we give them the opportunity to skip work and do good."

Nearly 800 BMO employees in Chicago spent time away from the office benefitting three Chiacgo area nonprofits:

• BMO employees joined City Year Chicago to help beautify Harlan Community Academy located in the Roseland community. Volunteers painted classrooms, inspirational quotes and murals in hallways, constructed garden boxes and benches, landscaped small patios and planted flowers.
• Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity asked BMO employees to roll up their sleeves for the "Raise Your Hand Chicagoland" project. Volunteers continued the transformation of a home in the West Pullman neighborhood after building structural elements for the home on May 28 & 29 in Pioneer Court. The painting, landscaping and minor repair services will help to provide stability for a low-income family and give them the opportunity to own a decent, safe, and affordable home.
• Friends of the Chicago River made new friends with BMO employee volunteers who put on their boots to help improve and protect the Chicago River system for people, plants and animal s. Volunteers flexed their stewardship muscles by tackling the removal of harmful and invasive species and sampled the river to indicate the health of various life forms.

It is estimated that the thousands of BMO employees who participated in this year's BMO Volunteer Day will have volunteered nearly 19,000 hours -- the equivalent of 475 workweeks, or nearly nine years of full-time service donated to community service projects on one single day.

About BMO Volunteer Day
BMO Volunteer Day is a legacy of BMO Harris Bank, which launched the event in 2001. In recent years, the initiative has expanded to include all of BMO Financial Group across North America.

This year encompassed approximately 400 projects in communities across Canada and the U.S., including children and youth organizations, elder care, food banks, community housing and health care facilities, family resource centers, parks and recreational facilities, relief organizations and homeless shelters. Nearly 6,000 BMO employees participated.

About BMO Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through more than 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet. Banking products and services are provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. and are subject to bank or credit approval. BMO Harris Bank^® is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and CDN $582 billion in assets (as of April 30, 2014).