LightStream nationwide lending company plants Forest of Dreams in Times Square

ATLANTA, Oct. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Visitors to the concrete jungle of New York's Times Square will be surprised when they find it transformed into a beautiful woodland oasis, a "Forest of Dreams," on October 18. The lush forest, filled with live trees and rescued wildlife, will be created by LightStream, the online lending division of SunTrust Bank. The company provides financial confidence with lending for almost anything, and has planted a tree for every loan funded since launching in 2013. The Forest of Dreams symbolizes the 1,000 acres of trees planted across the U.S. so far by the company and its push to reforest an additional 500 acres this year. 

As part of this effort, LightStream will plant a tree for the first 10,000 people who participate in the Forest of Dreams experience. A portion of the Forest of Dreams' donations will benefit areas recently decimated by hurricanes, including Houston and Miami.

There are three easy ways for people across the U.S. to get involved in this effort:

1. Visit the Forest of Dreams in Times Square
   Visitors can stroll through the forest, interact with rescued wildlife and opt to have a tree planted on their behalf. They can also have their photo taken against a forest background which may be shared on a Times Square billboard.
   
2. Go to LightStreamForests.com
   People can visit the Forest of Dreams website, LightStreamForests.com and sign up to have a tree planted. If they upload a photo, they too may be featured on the Times Square billboard.
   
3. Share on social media
   Those who submit a photo to LightStreamForests.com will receive an email with their picture customized, as if they were at the Forest of Dreams event and featured on a Times Square billboard. They can share the image with others and encourage them to plant a tree, as well. (#lightstreamforests; #forestofdreams).

"The Forest of Dreams is LightStream's way of celebrating the hundreds of thousands of dreams we've helped make a reality for our customers," said Todd Nelson, LightStream business development officer. "We offer a simple, virtually paperless loan for practically anything. It empowers people and gives them the financial confidence to make their goals come true – whether they're looking to buy that classic car they've always wanted, build their dream kitchen or fund fertility treatments so they can start a family."

For each funded loan, LightStream plants a tree in partnership with American Forests, the nation's oldest conservation organization. LightStream contributions help support American ReLeaf, which funds tree planting projects across the country. Beginning with the Forest of Dreams, LightStream is also supporting American Forests' Community ReLeaf program, which brings critically needed trees to urban settings.

"We deeply appreciate LightStream's commitment to restoring forests and green spaces," said Jad Daley, vice president of conservation programs at American Forests. "Their support results in tangible, long-term impacts that benefit wildlife as well as communities — and the health of our planet as a whole."

About LightStream, a division of SunTrust Bank  LightStream is a national online lending division of SunTrust Bank, providing loans for practically any purpose. LightStream's proprietary technology provides consumers with a virtually paperless loan application, underwriting, funding and servicing experience.  Click here for important disclosures, including information on same day funding as well as LightStream's Rate Beat Program and $100 Loan Experience Guarantee.

About SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE: STI)
SunTrust Banks, Inc. is a purpose-driven company dedicated to Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being for the people, businesses, and communities it serves. Headquartered in Atlanta, SunTrust operates an extensive branch and ATM network throughout the high-growth Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states, along with 24-hour digital access. Certain business lines serve consumer, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients nationally. As of June 30, 2017, SunTrust had total assets of $207 billion and total deposits of $160 billion. The Company provides deposit, credit, trust, investment, mortgage, asset management, securities brokerage, and capital market services. SunTrust leads onUp, a national movement inspiring Americans to build financial confidence. Join the movement at https://onupmovement.suntrust.com.

About American Forests 
American Forests inspires and advances the conservation of forests, which are essential to life. We do this by protecting and restoring threatened wildland forest ecosystems, promoting and expanding urban forests, and increasing understanding of the importance of forests. Founded in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the country and has served as a catalyst for many key milestones in the conservation movement, including the founding of the U.S. Forest Service, the national forest and national park systems and thousands of forest ecosystem restoration projects and public education efforts. Since 1990, American Forests has planted more than 50 million trees in forests throughout the U.S. and in nearly 50 countries, resulting in cleaner air and drinking water, restored habitat for wildlife and fish, and the removal of millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Learn more at www.americanforests.org.

SunTrust Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2017 SunTrust Banks, Inc. All rights reserved. SunTrust and LightStream are federally registered service marks of SunTrust Banks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by SunTrust Bank, member FDIC. 

SOURCE SunTrust Banks, Inc.

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