Press Release

"The Power of 8500" - Thousands of HSBC Employees Rally Nationwide to Participate in Community Volunteer Service Projects

22 August 2007

Prospect Heights, Ill. – About 8,500 employees from HSBC-North America’s HFC and Beneficial branches nationwide will team up with local schools and service organizations in a wide variety of community service projects from Aug. 22 to 31, 2007. 

The HSBC project, called “The Power of 8500,” will provide much-needed support for some 200 communities across the country through home construction and repairs, community clean-ups and youth mentoring activities. HSBC partners will include Rebuilding Together and other non-profit organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the YMCA, Habitat for Humanity and United Way. 

Over the course of ten days, HSBC employees from its 1,300 HFC and Beneficial branches will contribute more than 68,000 hours to community volunteer activities.  

"This is a great opportunity for us to join together and use the collective resources of more than 8,500 employees to build better communities for our customers of today and tomorrow," says Kathryn Madison, managing director of HFC and Beneficial’s Branch Retail Operations. “HFC and Beneficial have served their local communities for nearly 130 years. We will continue to build strong relations with other organizations and help support communities through charity giving and active employee engagement."

“The Power of 8500” is part of the annual “Community Build Day” initiative, organized by The Financial Services Roundtable.  A total of 76 member companies of The Financial Services Roundtable have committed to building a home in more than 200 cities across the United States, as well as participate in other activities aimed at bettering the communities which our companies serve.
 
About HSBC - North America

HSBC - North America comprises all of HSBC's U.S. and Canadian businesses. The company’s businesses serve nearly 60 million customers in five key areas: personal financial services, consumer finance, commercial banking, private banking and corporate investment banking and markets. Financial products and services are offered under the HSBC, HFC and Beneficial brands. For more information, visit www.hsbcusa.com.

Media Contacts

• Wen Huang
• wen.x.huang@us.hsbc.com
• HSBC - North America
• 847-564-6571