4.10.2008 - 10:33am ET

(CSRwire) CHERRY HILL, N.J., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Commerce Bank, "America's Most Convenient Bank," is celebrating National Library Week, April 13-19, with a $200,000 donation to libraries in low- to moderate-income areas throughout Commerce's footprint.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050104/PHTU036LOGO )

During the week of April 14, local Commerce executives will surprise and delight 50 area public libraries with a $4,000 grant each for books, technology resources or existing library programs. About 86 percent of the donations will support libraries in low-to moderate-income areas across eight states.

"Libraries are a pivotal part of our communities," said Fred Graziano, regional bank president, Commerce Bank. "They are a haven for creativity and education, and a great resource for people of all ages. We are thrilled to support these organizations, that like Commerce, WOW! people in their own way every day."

The bank's celebration of National Library Week will serve as the official kick off to Commerce Bank's Summer Reading Program. The Summer Reading Program encourages young people to read and additionally provides a goal for them to learn the importance of saving and money. Commerce contributes $10 into a new or existing young savers account for each child who reads 10 books throughout the summer.

A longtime education proponent, Commerce Bank hopes its Summer Reading Program will help children keep their reading skills sharp and their boredom level low during the summer. According to educators, summer reading is critical in continuing good academic performance and advancing literacy skills. Studies show that children who read several books during the summer maintain or surpass the reading skills they achieved during the previous school year.

The library donations from Commerce Bank are made through the TD Banknorth Foundation. Subject to regulatory approvals, Commerce Bank will become known as TD Commerce Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, with a financial services network comprising more than 1,100 offices spanning 13 states and Washington, D.C. TD Commerce Bank's assets will total approximately $109 billion.

The Summer Reading Program runs May through September 2008.

About Commerce Bank

Commerce Bank, "America's Most Convenient Bank," is a leading retailer of financial services with 470+ convenient stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland and Florida. Commerce is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. For more information about Commerce, please visit the company's interactive financial resource center at www.commerceonline.com, or call 888-751-9000.

About the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation

The TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Banknorth Inc., a leading banking and financial services company headquartered in Portland, Maine. The Foundation's mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities TD Commerce Bank will serve. Foundation has made over $29.7 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002.

LIBRARIES RECEIVING DONATIONS

-- 115th Street Branch 203 West 115th Street New York, NY 10026

-- Atlantic City Free Public Library 1 N Tennessee Avenue Atlantic City New Jersey 0841

-- Belmont Branch 610 East 186th Street Bronx, NY 10458

-- Beverley Free Public Library 441 Cooper Street Beverly, NJ 08010

-- Brooklyn Public Library - Sunset Park 5108 4th Avenue & 51st Brooklyn, NY 11220

-- Camden Free Public Library 418 Federal Street Camden, NJ 08103

-- Chatham Square Branch 33 East Broadway New York, NY 10002

-- Coatesville Library 501 East Lincol Highway Coatesville, PA 19320

-- Conshohocken Library 301 Fayette Street Conshohocken, PA 19428

-- Dover Library 32 East Clinton Avenue Dover, NJ 07801

-- Dumfries Neighborhood Library 18007 Dumfries Shopping Plaza Dumfries, VA 22026

-- Easton Area Public Library 515 Church Street Easton, PA 19061

-- Elizabeth Free Public Library 11 S. Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07202

-- Evesham Township Library 984 Tuckerton Road Marlton, NJ 08053

-- Freehold Public Library 28 1/2 E. Main Street Freehold, NJ 07728

-- Gaithersburg Library 18330 Montgomery Village Avenue Gaithersburg, MD 20879

-- Haverstraw Library (Village) 85 Main Street Haverstraw, NY 10927

-- Hempstead Public Library 115 Nichols Court Hempstead, NY 11550

-- Hunterdon County Library 314 State Route 12 Flemington, NJ 0882

-- Jersey City Public Library 678 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07606

-- Little Egg Harbor 290 Mathistown Road Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087

-- Long Branch Public Library 328 Broadway Long Branch, NJ 07740

-- Mary M. Campbell Library 10th and Green Streets Marcus Hook, PA 19061

-- Mastics-Moriches Shirley Community Library 407 William Floyd Parkway Shirley, NY 11967

-- McCowan Memorial Library 15 Pitman Avenue Pitman, NJ 07101

-- Miami-Dade Public Library 101 West Flager Street Miami, FL 33130

-- Millville Public Library 210 Buck Street Millville, NJ 08332

-- Muhlenberg Branch 209 West 23rd Street New York, NY 10011

-- New Brunswick Library 60 Livingston Avenue New Brunswick, NJ 08901

-- Newark Public Library 5 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07101

-- Norristown Public Library 1001 Powell Street Norristown, PA 19401

-- North Babylon Public Library 815 Deer Park Avenue North Babylon, NY 11703

-- Norwalk Public Library 1 Belden Avenue Norwalk, CT 06850

-- Oakland Public Library 2 Municipal Plaza Oakland, NJ 07436

-- Paterson Free Public Library 250 Broad Way Paterson, NJ 07501

-- Plainfield Free Public Library 2484 Plainfield Avenue South Plainfield, NJ 07080

-- Queens Library Foundation - Central 89-11 Merrick Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11432

-- Queens Library Foundation - Corona 38-23 104 Street Corona, NY 11368

-- Ramonita De Rodriguez Branch Library 600 W. Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19123

-- Raritan Public Library 54 E. Somerset Street Raritan, NJ 08669

-- Riviera Beach Public Library 600 W. Blue Heron Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33404

-- South Beach Branch 21-25 Robin Road Staten Island, NY 10305

-- Southampton Free Library 947 Street Road Southampton, PA 18966

-- Trenton Free Public Library 328 Broadway Long Branch, NJ 07740

-- Welsh Road Branch 9233 Roosevelt Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19114

-- Westbury Memorial Library 445 Jefferson Street Westbury, NY 11590

-- White Plains Public Library 100 Martine Avenue White Plains, NY 10601

-- Wilmington Institute Library 10th and Market Wilmington, DE 19801

-- Woodridge Regional Branch 1801 Hamilin Street NE Washington, DC 20018

-- Woodrow Wilson Community Library 6101 Knollwood Drive Falls Church, VA 22041

Forward-Looking Statements

The Company may from time to time make written or oral "forward-looking statements", including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in its reports to stockholders and in other communications by the Company, which are made in good faith by the Company pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors (some of which are beyond the Company's control). The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause the Company's financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in such forward-looking statements: the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which the Company conducts operations; the effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary and fiscal policies, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "FRB"); inflation; interest rates, market and monetary fluctuations; the timely development of competitive new products and services by the Company and the acceptance of such products and services by customers; the willingness of customers to substitute competitors' products and services for the Company's products and services and vice versa; the impact of changes in financial services' laws and regulations (including laws concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance); technological changes; future acquisitions; the expense savings and revenue enhancements from acquisitions being less than expected; the growth and profitability of the Company's non-interest or fee income being less than expected; unanticipated regulatory or judicial proceedings; changes in consumer spending and saving habits; and the success of the Company at managing the risks involved in the foregoing.

The Company cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

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