Philadelphia, PA (September 15, 2015) – Beneficial Bank, the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Philadelphia, announced today that they have created commemorative Beneficial Visa® Promotional Cards to be used during the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. As part of this offering, more than 7,000 “Full” and “Modified” adult package registrants of the World Meeting of Families Congress (as well as individuals who received scholarships from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia) will receive a $100 Beneficial Visa® Promotional Card, which can be used just like a credit card or check card, providing recipients with an efficient and secure way to make purchases during the World Meeting of Families Congress and Papal events.

Beneficial Bank is a dedicated partner and advocate of the 2015 World Meeting of Families, as both a sponsor and as an active participant in the months of planning leading up to the occasion. Beneficial Bank President and CEO Gerard Cuddy serves on the Executive Leadership Cabinet of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015, and traveled with a leadership delegation to Rome in June for final planning meetings. The bank can trace its passion for service back to its founding by Saint John Neumann in 1853, who established Beneficial to protect the finances of poor immigrants to the city. Beneficial has since been a continuous presence in Philadelphia, and has always looked for ways to better serve its customers.

“We’re a local bank that has been around for a long time, and we’re proud to offer help to families from all over the world as they visit our city,” said Gerard Cuddy, CEO of Beneficial Bank, founded by Saint John Neumann in 1853. “The World Meeting of Families will have a significant economic impact on our region, and the Beneficial Visa® Promotional Cards will provide recipients with a safe and easy way to make purchases while enjoying all that Philadelphia has to offer. Together with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we look forward to a memorable event this September.”

The World Meeting of Families Beneficial Visa® Promotional Cards were created in partnership with FIS™, a global leader in banking and payments technology as well as consulting and outsourcing solutions. These promotional cards are not only a secure way to make purchases during the 2015 World Meeting of Families, but also a great keepsake for recipients.

“Attending an event like the World Meeting of Families is a once in a lifetime occasion, and the Beneficial Visa® Promotional Cards will help make sure it’s not only a memorable experience, but a safe one,” said a spokesperson from FIS. “Our partner, Beneficial Bank, has always been focused on educating customers about their finances, which means being smart about how you manage your money. Financial security is our priority, and by using these promotional cards visitors to the event can make their transactions with confidence.”

Co-sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event that seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society. The 2015 international gathering will be held in the United States for the first time ever and will welcome Pope Francis to the country for the first time in his Papacy.

Founded 163 years ago, Beneficial Bank operates as a full-service bank specializing in serving the financial needs of the Greater Philadelphia Region and provides customers with the tools and resource they need to become smarter about their money. As much an education company as it is a bank, Beneficial prides itself on doing what’s right for both its employees and its customers. In addition to contributing more than 1,500 hours of volunteer time last year alone, more than half of Beneficial’s charitable monetary contributions went toward educational initiatives, scholarship funds, and facilitating financial literacy programs in schools, libraries, and community centers across Philadelphia, showcasing the bank’s commitment to the future of the city.

For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, visit www.WorldMeeting2015.org. For information regarding The Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, please visit www.familiam.org/famiglia_eng/00002554_HOME_ENG.html. You can also engage the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia on Facebook (World Meeting of Families 2015) (Encuentro Mundial de las Familias – Filadelfia 2015), Twitter (@WMF2015) (@WMF2015ES) and Instagram (WMF2015).

For more information about Beneficial Bank, please stop into a local branch to start a conversation, or simply visit: www.thebeneficial.com, www.facebook.com/beneficialbank, or www.twitter.com/beneficialbank.

About Beneficial Bank
Founded in 1853, Beneficial Bank is the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Philadelphia. It is a knowledge bank – a full-service financial services company focused on financial education that has served individuals and businesses in the Delaware Valley for over 160 years. With 56 offices in the greater Philadelphia and South Jersey regions and approximately $5 billion in assets, Beneficial offers a full array of financial products that includes commercial, consumer and real estate lending, insurance and wealth management. Visit www.thebeneficial.com for more information.

About World Meetings of Families
Beginning with 1994, The Year of the Family, the Pontifical Council for the Family has been responsible for organizing the World Meetings of Families in Rome (1994); Rio de Janeiro (1997); Rome (2000); Manila (2003); Valencia (2006); Mexico City (2009); Milan (2012); and now, Philadelphia (2015). Since its inception by Saint John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families has sought to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe.

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