Deutsche Bank and GE Support buildOn

New York - Deutsche Bank and GE will join buildOn to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange tomorrow, Sept. 18, 2013, in a ceremony to commemorate the release of “Walk in Their Shoes: Can One Person Change the World?” (Simon &Schuster, Hardcover), by Jim Ziolkowski, founder and CEO of buildOn, a not-for-profit organization that builds schools in developing countries and offers after school service programs for America’s inner-city youth.

“I am grateful that GE and Deutsche Bank have embraced our mission that we are more than a charity, we are a movement,” Ziolkowski said. “I have been profoundly influenced by the youth we work with from the US to the poorest villages around the world. It is their courage, hope and thirst for change that inspires me, and others at buildOn, every day.”

Established in 1991, buildOn offers afterschool programs that mobilize urban teens to lift their communities through community service and change the world by building schools in some of the poorest countries on the planet.

“We are honored to be long-time partners of buildOn and are dedicated to supporting Jim in his ongoing efforts to drive youth engagement in our cities, while working to eliminate illiteracy and provide equal educational opportunities around the world,” said Keith Sherin, chairman and CEO of GE Capital.
In collaboration with Deutsche Bank, buildOn was able to bring its program to the Banana Kelly High School in the Bronx, NY, to provide tutoring and other services by youth program participants. In addition, a team of Deutsche Bank volunteers will travel to Nicaragua early next year to build a school as part of buildOn’s Global School Construction Program, which provides rural regions in developing nations with access to education, breaking ground on a new school every four days.

“We are extremely proud to be working with Jim and GE to support buildOn’s goal to break the cycles of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education,” said Erich Mauff, Head of Capital Markets and Treasury Solutions N.A., at Deutsche Bank. “Social responsibility is important to Deutsche Bank and we are committed to buildOn’s mission to deliver education and equality to our local and global communities.”