Affected Workers
FRESNO, Calif., Feb. 12 /-USNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced its disaster relief program for seven counties in California that have been most heavily impacted by the freezing weather that has destroyed 70 percent of the state's citrus crop.
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation also announced it will donate $50,000 to three United Way agencies in the Central Valley to be used for relief efforts for workers affected by the citrus crop devastation.
The counties to be included in the disaster relief program are Kern, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus and Tulare.
"As affected individuals and businesses work to rebuild their livelihoods, they will need help from organizations in this community," said Lynn Pike, California President for Bank of America. "This will be a difficult year for agricultural workers in the Central Valley, and we want to do what we can to help."
Pike said the bank will continue to monitor effects of the freeze to determine whether the relief program needs to be expanded to other counties.
Under the company's disaster relief program, Bank of America customers affected by the freeze in those counties may qualify to:
- Receive emergency credit line increases on their existing Bank of
America Visa(R) card and MasterCard(R).
- Modify, defer or extend payments on loans, credit cards or lines of
credit.
- Access a special Bank of America home equity program and incur no fees
on new loans or obtain a new home equity credit line or increase the
credit limit on an existing Bank of America home equity line.
- Purchase a new primary residence through the bank's special mortgage
program and we will waive loan fees and expedite the loan process.
- Avoid bank withdrawal penalties on time deposits and existing Bank of
America Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).
Small businesses may also qualify to enjoy similar benefits on both business and personal loans.
Customers may apply for assistance under the program through March 30, 2007 in any of our banking centers or call the following numbers. For assistance with existing consumer, home or small business loans, call 1.800.831.5586. For assistance with your credit card account, call the phone number on the back of your card or on your statement. For information about new business loans, call 1.800.678.2632. For information about new home loans or our special home equity loan program, call 1.800.900.9000. For information about existing automobile, boat, motorcycle or recreational vehicle loan payments call 1.800.386.4017.
The offers are subject to credit approval and current credit standards apply. Bank of America, N.A., equal housing lender. Member FDIC. Insurance is required. These offers cannot be used in combination with other offers, and certain restrictions may apply. Tax penalties may still apply to IRA withdrawals before age 59 1/2.
Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Bank of America has embarked on an unprecedented 10-year goal to give $1.5 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the quality and vitality of their neighborhoods. The bank will give more than $200 million in 2007, making it one of the most generous corporate donors in the world. Bank of America approaches giving through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers contribute more than 500,000 hours each year to improve the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 55 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,700 retail banking offices, through more than 17,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 21 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 175 countries and has relationships with 98 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 80 percent of the Global Fortune 500. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. http://www.bankofamerica.com
