RBC and Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City to ring NYSE closing bell

Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC RBC Race for the Kids encourages
community involvement and helps youth reach their goals

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - RBC, in conjunction with Big
Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS of NYC), today announced that it
will ring the New York Stock Exchange's Closing Bell on Friday, August 28th to
spotlight the 5th annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC RBC Race for the
Kids, BBBS of NYC's yearly fundraising event. For more than a century, BBBS of
NYC's mission has been to provide mentors to New York's children who need
caring adult role models. BBBS of NYC RBC Race for the Kids raises awareness
and encourages New Yorkers to volunteer.
"Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City is coming to Wall Street to
vocalize our cause and the profound effect it has on underserved children,"
said Judge Michael Corriero, Executive Director of BBBS of NYC. "The support
and collaboration from a strong and stable institution like RBC is
instrumental in making our innovative program a reality."
RBC has been involved in the Race for the Kids since 2006, and recently
acquired naming rights for the race earlier this year. RBC has increased its
level of sponsorship in an effort to underscore the importance of community
involvement to the firm's culture.
"As active partners in the communities where our employees and clients work
and live, RBC considers it a privilege to play a role in supporting Big
Brothers Big Sisters of NYC," said Rich Franchella, director of RBC Wealth
Management's New York midtown complex and RBC Race for the Kids Event Chair.
"We are proud to extend our relationship to such a deserving organization and
are committed to being a strong corporate partner."
Earlier the same day, August 28th, RBC will be ringing NASDAQ's Opening Bell
with Wings Over Wall Street,(R) one of the most successful MDA benefits to
fund research to help find a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),
also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. For the second consecutive year, RBC
serves as the presenting sponsor. This year's cocktail reception takes place
at Gotham Hall on September 24th. For more information please visit
www.wingsoverwallstreet.org.
"Although it may be a big challenge in the current economic environment, it is
very important that we as a firm maintain this commitment to our community,"
said Mark Standish, President and Co-CEO of RBC Capital Markets. "It is our
responsibility to continue to help out now more than ever; our support and
charity in all economic times is valuable, but in these incredibly tough
times, it is invaluable."
BBBS of NYC RBC Race for the Kids will take place on September 26th at 10 a.m.
with a 4K Run/Walk and picnic at New York's Riverside Park. Big Brothers Big
Sisters of NYC RBC Race for the Kids is a day that celebrates the power of
mentoring and the strength of community, raising valuable funds and awareness
for BBBS of NYC's mentoring programs. Last year's race attracted more than
3,000 participants and raised nearly $600,000 for BBBS of NYC. To register for
the event or for more information, please visit www.raceforthekids.org or
e-mail RBCRaceForTheKids@rbccm.com.

ABOUT RBC

Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries operate under
the master brand name RBC. We are Canada's largest bank as measured by assets
and market capitalization, one of North America's leading diversified
financial services companies and among the largest banks in the world, as
measured by market capitalization. We provide personal and commercial banking,
wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment banking and
transaction processing services on a global basis. We employ approximately
80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 18 million personal,
business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada,
the U.S. and 53 other countries. For more information, please visit
www.rbc.com.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC

Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BigsNYC), the nation's first mentoring
organization, has served the changing needs of New York City's most at-risk
youth since 1904, by developing and nurturing mentoring relationships under
the guidance of trained case managers who carefully screen adults who are
interested in spending 6-10 hours a month with school-age children, primarily
from single-parent families. BigsNYC has also developed programs to help
children facing more complex challenges, such as immigrant youth, teen moms
and victims of 9/11, and a training center for all of New York City's
community agencies. Through the support of individuals, foundations and
corporations, this not-for-profit agency has been able to reach out to the
city's most disadvantaged children matching them with caring mentors, helping
them to achieve bright and productive futures. To offer support and/or to
volunteer, call (212)686-2042 or visit www.bigsnyc.org.

SOURCE RBC

Jonell Rusinko, RBC, (612) 371-2239, jonell.rusinko@rbc.com; Kait Conetta,
RBC, (212) 428-6409, kait.conetta@rbccm.com; Lisha McCormick, (212) 994-7741,
lmccormick@bigsnyc.org