ING DIRECT - Nation's Largest Direct Bank - Makes Mortgage Dreams Come True for 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' Participants
Lender with Only 15 Foreclosures since 2002 Emphasizes Importance
of Home Ownership
WILMINGTON, Del.--(Business Wire)--
True to its brand objectives and philosophy, ING DIRECT - the
nation's largest direct bank - is empowering a family in its home city
and state of Wilmington, Delaware to realize the dream of a home that
"no one can take away." Working with the team from ABC's hit show
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ING DIRECT presented the Latif
Family with a check to pay off the family's mortgage - the gift
totaled approximately $125,000.
The program featuring the story of the Latif's home makeover and
mortgage (and the story of Latif neighbor, Rose Chapman) will air in
an upcoming episode of the hit TV show.
In addition to paying off the mortgage, ING DIRECT offered
volunteer assistance from 70 of its employees to help to clean up the
Latifs' neighborhood.
"Giving back to the communities in which we work and live is
central to the nature of ING DIRECT," said Arkadi Kuhlmann, President
and CEO of ING DIRECT. "We are proud to present the Latif family with
the opportunity for a financially sound future and the chance to live
out their dreams."
The week-long home makeover project began on February 5, when the
Latif family and their next door neighbor and "adopted grandmother"
Rose Chapman received the news they were receiving new homes. While
the family was sent on a vacation to Walt Disney World, local
volunteers, the Extreme Makeover design team and builders from
Anderson Homes worked long hours to create the two new homes.
About ING DIRECT
ING DIRECT, the nation's largest direct bank and third largest
thrift, is dedicated to inspiring Americans to become a nation of
savers. Since its inception in 2000, more than 6.5 million Americans
have entrusted their savings to ING DIRECT, building the bank to $80
billion in assets. For more information on ING DIRECT, or to learn
more about the bank's high-value products, including the industry's
first paperless checking account - the Electric Orange, the Orange
Mortgage, the Orange Savings Account and CDs, please visit
www.ingdirect.com or call 1-800-ING DIRECT.
About ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which has won back-to-back Emmy
Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is in its fifth
season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of
Endemol Holding. Denise Cramsey is the executive producer and David
Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.
Style note to Editors: ING DIRECT is always capitalized and never
referred to as ING.
Photos of the project, background information on the family, and a
daily blog are available at www.andersonextreme.com
ING DIRECT
Cathy MacFarlane, 302-255-3577
cmacfarlane@ingdirect.com
or
MWW Group
Amy Leibowitz, 201-964-2364
aleibowitz@mww.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
