Joanne Jaxtimer to be Honored by AFC Mentoring for Commitment to Supporting Vulnerable Youth

BOSTON, June 4, 2013 /3BL Media/ - In recognition of BNY Mellon's ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable youth, Joanne Jaxtimer, BNY Mellon Regional Executive, will be honored at Adoption & Foster Care (AFC) Mentoring's 4th Annual Match Fundraising Gala, which will be held on Wednesday, June 5 at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in Boston. AFC Mentoring is the only mentoring organization in Massachusetts exclusively dedicated to serving young people in foster care.

"Joanne has a longstanding personal commitment to local philanthropies and a passion for helping young people succeed," said Colby Swettberg, Executive Director of AFC Mentoring. "She also leads BNY Mellon's charitable giving initiatives in New England, and in that role, has spearheaded the regional development of BNY Mellon's Pathways program that supports vulnerable youth transitioning into adulthood.

"BNY Mellon has been an extremely supportive partner for us, having donated close to $220,000 since 2010," added Swettberg. "Their grants have enabled us to continue to focus on our mission and expand our Leaders program for older youth who have or will age out of the system."

"Founded in 2001 by Justin Pasquariello, a former foster care youth who learned first-hand about the inconsistent and disruptive nature of life in the foster care system before being adopted by his forever family, AFC Mentoring is dedicated to serving both youth in foster care and those adopted out of care. It continues to be among only a few mentoring organizations in the United States, and the only mentoring organization in Massachusetts, that exclusively serves the unique, pressing needs of youth in the foster care system.

"Before pursuing a career in business, I was a teacher, and my experiences in the classroom taught me how important it is for young people to have caring adults in their lives," said Jaxtimer. "AFC Mentoring empowers Boston-area youth from foster care and adoption backgrounds to overcome challenges related to time in the child welfare system. I am proud that BNY Mellon's funding has helped them provide youth in care with the skills they need to handle the changes they'll experience in the process of aging out and beginning to live independently."

"Powering Potential, BNY Mellon's philanthropic focus, helps to make local communities better places to live and work by targeting organizations that concentrate on workforce development or the provision of basic needs. Learn more about Powering Potential or the company's world-wide commitment to social responsibility at www.bnymellon.com/csr.

"BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 36 countries and more than 100 markets. As of March 31, 2013, BNY Mellon had $26.3 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.4 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com, or follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon.