Fifth Third Bank partners with University Park Baptist and Pleasant Hill Baptist to offer credit counseling, homeownership education, financial literacy programs and free credit reports CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifth Third Bank is delivering free financial literacy and credit counseling programs directly to Charlotte communities through its "ebus", a full-sized transit bus retrofitted with computer terminals, internet access and counseling areas. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091020/CL96004-a ) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091020/CL96004-b ) The ebus is staffed by Fifth Third banking and mortgage counselors as well as staff from The Housing Partnership of Charlotte who will also be providing counseling and free credit reports. Visitors to the Fifth Third ebus can also receive foreclosure and credit repair counseling, advice on how to start a savings program and answers to mortgage related questions including first time home buying and refinancing options. The Fifth Third ebus will be at the following Charlotte locations to provide free financial counseling and free credit reports: Friday, October 23, 2009 - Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, 517 Baldwin Avenue from 5-8pm Saturday, October 31, 2009 Hallelujah Fest at The Park Baptist, 2500 East Independence Boulevard from 4-7pm "Fifth Third Bank is committed to proactively encouraging financial literacy in the communities we serve here in Charlotte. The Fifth Third ebus allows us to go directly into neighborhoods and offer financial counseling and free credit reports to people who may be not be able to visit a traditional bank location," said Bob James, President and CEO, Fifth Third Bank-North Carolina. The Fifth Third ebus is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to take advantage of the financial counseling services and free credit reports at the locations and times listed above. Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $116 billion in assets, operates 16 affiliates with 1,306 full-service Banking Centers, including 100 Bank Mart locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,362 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 49% interest in Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2009, has $180 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $24 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at http://www.53.com/. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® National Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB." Fifth Third Bank, Member FDIC. Fifth Third has 55 full service Banking Centers in North Carolina. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091020/CL96004-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091020/CL96004-b http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Fifth Third Bank North Carolina CONTACT: George Dick, Fifth Third Bank, +1-704-688-4803 Web Site: http://www.53.com/

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