MAYOR NUTTER AND FIRST NIAGRA BANK ANNOUNCE $400,000 DONATION TO 2010 SPLASH AND SUMMER FUNd

Philadelphia, June 3, 2010 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced today that First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. will donate $400,000 to Philadelphia’s 2010 Splash and Summer FUNd, which fulfills the City’s $600,000 private-sector fundraising goal to keep 70 municipal public swimming pools open throughout the 2010 summer season. These pools will open across the City on June 18th. First Niagra Bank also established a $250,000 grant program for 13 YMCA associations and 35 Y branches in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties to underwrite free swimming lessons for thousands of children. Due to the City’s budget constraints, 27 pools across Philadelphia were closed during the 2009 summer season. First Niagara will provide funding, management expertise and resources to assist the Philadelphia Department of Recreation to ensure that these facilities remain open through 2011. rnrn“In Philadelphia, keeping our swimming pools open during the summer is important to maintaining a strong sense of community in which friends and neighbors can connect,” said Mayor Nutter. “First Niagra Bank’s generosity in supporting the City’s efforts to keep our pools open during the summer is another great example of the positive impact that public and private partnerships have on providing safe and enjoyable activities for all of our residents.”rnrn“In April, Eastern Pennsylvania became our largest regional market, and we were determined to demonstrate the same sort of commitment we’ve made in our other markets right here in our new nine-county footprint,” President and CEO John R. Koelmel said. “As I’ve stated in the past, we will continuously strive to display our dedication to our regions by leveraging First Niagara’s financial strength to better the lives of those who live in all the communities we serve. When the bank was made aware of the budget realities facing the city’s pool initiative, we jumped at the chance to make sure the children, young adults and families of the region had places to enjoy swimming activities in safe, supervised, and most importantly, fun environments.”rnrn“The response for the Mayor’s Splash and Summer FUNd program, an initiative that is very near and dear to his administration, has been tremendous, and we are fortunate to have reached his goal for 2010,” Recreation Commissioner Slawson said. Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Mike DiBerardinis said, “The City of Philadelphia has one of the largest volumes of outdoor pools per capita when compared to other major cities in the United States, and we’re grateful to have established a working relationship with First Niagara to begin planning for the successful execution of the 2011 swim season.”rnrnFirst Niagara joined other private-sector donors in answering the Mayor’s call to raise $600,000 in funding to supplement city budget dollars to open and operate Philadelphia’s public pools. Other private donations include $37,000 from Lombard Swim Club, $34,000 from Shire Pharmaceuticals, $34,000 from the Philadelphia Parking Authority, $30,000 from TD Bank, $12,000 from Modell’s Sporting Goods and $10,000 from Temple University. The City’s public swimming pools offer 800 jobs, including 400 seasonal maintenance aides who keep pool areas clean and safe and an additional 400 jobs for young adults, teens, and college students from the neighborhood who serve as lifeguards.rnrnYMCAs serving the following counties are encouraged to apply for First Niagra Bank’s $250,000 grant funding program: Chester, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon and Monroe. Applications can be completed and submitted by visiting https://www.fnfg.com/InTheCommunity/CorporateGiving/ and clicking on the Charitable Contribution Request Form. YMCAs in the region can apply between the dates of June 3, 2010 and July 5, 2010.rnrn“Speaking on behalf of all of the YMCA branches in Eastern Pennsylvania, I cannot sufficiently express what this grant program means to the region and those children who will benefit from this investment,” said President and CEO Denise Day. “First Niagara has been a corporate citizen of the region for two short months, and they are already taking a proactive approach to nurturing children of the region, strengthening families, building strong communities and developing healthy minds, bodies and spirits for all.”rnrnAbout First Niagara Financial Group rnrnFirst Niagara began operating in Eastern Pennsylvania, with its regional headquarters in Harleysville, upon the completion of its Harleysville National Corporation acquisition in April. The bank now has 83 branches in the region. As a result of the Harleysville merger on April 9, 2010, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., has $20 billion in assets, 255 branches and $14 billion in deposits. First Niagara Bank is a community-oriented bank providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across Upstate New York and Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.fnfg.com. rnrnMedia Contact:rnLeslie G. GarrityrnFirst Niagra Financial Group, Inc.rnPublic Relations and Corporate Communications Managerrn(716) 819-5921