ING DIRECT USA to Help Pauoa Elementary Students Plant Some Roots and Watch Them Grow

PAUOA VALLEY, Hawaii, Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With students on a year-round schedule and back in class since August 1, ING DIRECT USA, the nation's largest direct bank, is sending its Honolulu Cafe Associates to work side by side with the Pauoa School's second grade class to create portable gardens. On Wednesday, August 24, the Bank's high energy Honolulu team will plant vegetables, herbs, and native Hawaiian plants aided by second graders who will be responsible for upkeep and harvest. The day-long community service event is part of ING DIRECT's fifth annual Orange Days of Giving and is just one of fifteen volunteer projects to be completed by ING DIRECT Associates nationwide.

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"At ING DIRECT we recognize the profound impact schools have on shaping our youth," said Cleo Brown, Head of Cafe Operations. "This year's Orange Days of Giving will enhance the Pauoa School's long tradition of providing a holistic education by giving students a lesson from mother earth while they learn responsibility and pride of ownership."

Established in 1847, the Pauoa School serves a unique and diverse student population with over 300 children in Pre-K through fifth grade. The projects planned include:

• Donation of 4 planting beds with wheels, 15 plastic planters, 4 watering cans, a garden hose, 2 gardening tool kits, 2 large bags of planting soil, 4 bags of top soil, and 4 bags of cinders;
• Donation of 75 small potted herbs and vegetables and 2 seedling starters each holding 36 plants that include tomato, eggplant, cucumber, manoa lettuce, green onions, basil, thyme, rosemary, corn, beans, parsley, dill, green peppers, and gourd;
• Refurbish a cement block tree enclosure and plant the school's flower, the Liko Lehua tree; and
• Plant Native Hawaiian ground covering around the cement block.

ING DIRECT's Orange Days of Giving was created in 2007 and all projects are organized and executed entirely by Associate committees from various departments throughout the Bank. Each year, the committees are tasked with locating unique venues and programs through which Associates can share their time and talent with the community.

To date, ING DIRECT Associates throughout the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast locations are proud to have dedicated more than 64,000 hours during the Orange Days of Giving toward charitable causes that support the bank's mission of providing economic empowerment, financial education and life skills.

About Pauoa Elementary School

Founded in 1847, Pauoa School is one of the state's oldest schools. Just minutes from downtown, Pauoa's 317 students, receive individual attention. Students enjoy a well-rounded education with full-time music and technology teachers, plus a part-time PE teacher. Students perform well on statewide tests, giving the school the top academic rank .The robotics club has gone to state championship two years in a row, and won awards for its research quality and core values.

About ING DIRECT USA

ING DIRECT, the nation's largest direct bank and largest thrift, is dedicated to inspiring Americans to become a nation of savers. Since its inception in 2000, more than 7.7 million Americans have entrusted their savings with ING DIRECT, building the bank to nearly $91.4 billion in assets. ING DIRECT has developed a comprehensive social media Savers Community, including Twitter, Facebook and its We, The Savers blog. For more information about ING DIRECT call 1-800-ING-DIRECT, and for information about its commitment to financial education visit Planet Orange(SM).

Style note to Editors: ING DIRECT is always capitalized and never referred to as ING.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Brenda Dean, ING DIRECT USA
(302) 255-3696
[email protected]

SOURCE ING DIRECT USA