HSBC Bank Sponsors Heart Gallery NYC - $25,000 Contribution to Support Efforts to Place Foster Children With Adoptive Families

    NEW YORK, NY, November 10, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Heart Gallery NYC, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of New York City's foster children who qualify for adoption and are in need of finding permanent homes, announced today that HSBC Bank USA, N.A. has committed $25,000 for sponsorship of the project.

The Heart Gallery is a unique non-profit that utilizes the donated time of award-winning professional photographers to take portraits that help capture the spirit of children in the foster care system. These photographs are then shared via the web and through gallery exhibits in the hope that potential families will be moved to inquire about adoption.

"The generous support by HSBC Bank will allow us to take the hard work of our volunteers and ensure that the portraits of these children will be seen by as many potential adoptive families as possible," said Laurie Sherman Graff, Executive Director of Heart Gallery NYC.

"HSBC Bank has been a wonderful partner to Heart Gallery NYC, not only offering financial support, but also engaging their employees to donate holiday gifts for the children that we serve. We are extremely grateful that HSBC has stepped forward to partner with us again, and offer their support for this important project."

Heart Gallery NYC will present an exhibition of 100 portraits of foster children available for adoption at a grand opening reception during National Adoption Month. Portraits of the youth, many of whom are considered hard-to-place--sibling groups hoping to be adopted together, teens and children with special needs--will be unveiled in an effort to find "forever families" for them. The exhibition, which kicks off on Wednesday, November 10 at the Times Square Visitors Center, is a partnership between Heart Gallery NYC, New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS) and the foundation Casey Family Programs.

"As the world's local bank, HSBC recognizes our responsibility to strengthen the communities everywhere in the world we work and live, and we try to make a positive contribution through partnerships with impactful organizations like Heart Gallery NYC," said Heather Nesle, Vice President of HSBC Community Investment who will present the $25,000 check at the Heart Gallery NYC Launch on November 10. "We're pleased to support the Heart Gallery NYC, for the great work it's doing on behalf of foster children, and for making a difference in the New York City community."

"We believe that every child deserves a loving home," said Laurie Sherman Graff. "Our partnership with HSBC Bank enables us to help make a difference in the lives of the children."

About Heart Gallery NYC
Heart Gallery NYC is a non-profit organization that recruits some of the nation's finest photographers, renowned for their work photographing celebrities--to volunteer to take portraits that capture the individuality of each child. The photographs are then showcased in a traveling exhibit and via the Heart Gallery website to reach prospective adoptive parents. Thousands of children have found adoptive homes through the group, which has more than 100 chapters throughout the United States and Canada and enjoys the support of celebrity adoptive parents or adoptees such as Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC, Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen Burstyn. For more information on how you can support the Heart Gallery, visit http://www.heartgallerynyc.com.

About HSBC
HSBC Bank USA, National Association operates more than 470 bank branches throughout the United States. There are over 375 in New York state as well as branches in Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, California, Delaware, Illinois, Oregon and Washington State. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc., one of the nation's largest bank holding companies by assets. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is a member of the FDIC.

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,000 offices in 87 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, North America, Latin America and the Middle East. With assets of US$2,418 billion at 30 June 2010, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as "the world's local bank."

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