News Releases

VALLEY OF THE SUN UNITED WAY GRANTS BMO HARRIS BANK AND TARGET
'INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP AWARD'

Phoenix, AZ (May 20, 2013) – The saying goes that "two heads are better than one." BMO Harris Bank and Target Corporation recently put their heads together to help Valley of the Sun United Way turn a newly built apartment complex into new homes for 54 adults who were formerly living without a roof over their heads. For their efforts, both organizations were recently recognized by United Way as joint recipients of this year's Innovative Partnership Award.

The annual award recognizes an organization that has formed an innovative campaign-related partnership helping to increase overall campaign results and create solutions that impact entire communities. Due to the success of the unique partnership between BMO Harris Bank and Target, the award, which had historically gone to a single organization for their partnership with United Way, will now be given to companies who have partnered with each other to advance United Way's community objectives.

The two organizations were honored by United Way for their work on the Encanto Pointe Permanent Supportive Housing development and Pledge to End Hunger. Thanks to the BMO Harris financial contribution and volunteer efforts of more than 100 of its employees along with support of nine Target Stores to provide household items, 54 new apartment units were furnished and staged with household items. The apartments were built to provide permanent housing for formerly homeless men and women.

"When the corporate world and the nonprofit world come together great things happen," said BMO Harris Bank Arizona President Steve Johnson. "By collaborating with Target we were able to help fill 54 apartments with items that turn a house into a home for people who have spent years living on the streets."

"A roof over our head and food on the table are the basic things we want for everyone in Maricopa County, yet for many life's essentials are a daily struggle," said Merl Waschler, Valley of the Sun United Way President and CEO. "A shared goal of Ending Homelessness unified the BMO Harris Bank and Target's partnership this year, taking corporate collaboration to the next level."

The partnership worked so well, that the two companies have teamed up again to participate in the United Way's "End Hunger Campaign" through a snack pack assembly and distribution effort as part of BMO's corporate Volunteer Day in early June.

About BMO Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through over 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. Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank^SM is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and $542 billion in assets (as of Jan. 31, 2013).