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ING-Girls Inc. Program Cited by Clinton Global Initiative for Improving the Lives of Girls and Women Around the World

ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge Gives Girls Hands-on Investing Experience; Portfolio Gains Go to Participants in the Form of College Scholarships

ING-Girls Inc. Program Cited by Clinton Global Initiative for Improving the Lives of Girls and Women Around the World

ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge Gives Girls Hands-on Investing Experience; Portfolio Gains Go to Participants in the Form of College Scholarships

Published 09-30-09

Submitted by ING

The ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge was named one of 13 programs that "will improve the lives of girls and women around the world" at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). The announcement was made at the Sept. 23, 2009, plenary session of the CGI, which brings together leaders from across sectors of society to identify solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems. The theme of this year's annual meeting was "Investing in Girls and Women."

"Recognition by the Clinton Global Initiative constitutes important validation of the ING Foundation's strategic focus on financial empowerment, our partnership with Girls Inc. and of the early success of this program," said Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation and senior vice president, Office of Corporate Responsibility and Multicultural Affairs. "We are thankful for the ING employees who have played such a critical role in the development and implementation of the ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge, and we are committed to bringing this program and the message of financial empowerment to growing numbers of girls."

About the ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge
The ING Foundation partnered with Girls Inc., the nation's leading advocacy organization for girls to build and administer the program.

Launched in October 2008 in four cities across the U.S., ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge is an innovative financial literacy and empowerment program that gives participating girls hands-on investing experience while allowing them to keep their gains in the form of college scholarships.

With the help and guidance of trained Girls Inc. staff and ING employee volunteers, teams of girls ages 12-18 build and manage diversified, real-time portfolios. The program is offered at Girls Inc. affiliates in New York City, Denver and Los Angeles and Alameda Counties in California. The ING Foundation and Girls Inc. plan to expand the initiative to affiliates in Atlanta and the Hartford, Conn., area in the next year.

"The investment challenge is so powerful because girls are not just observers of the stock market but are participants, who will, presumably, reap the economic rewards of their efforts," said Mims.

The ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge is a part of the company's strategic-advocacy platform around financial empowerment, particularly among underserved communities such as multicultural youth.

"Financial literacy is one of the biggest issues facing American youth today, especially multicultural girls," said Mims. "The earlier we can engage girls in the capital markets, the more likely we will be able to grow a generation of smart, empowered investors."

Other initiatives acknowledged by the CGI include Merck and Qiagen's partnership to prevent cervical cancer in the poorest countries around the world, Exxon Mobil's commitment to deploy innovative technologies to advance economic opportunities to women in developing countries and Goldman Sach's program to provide women entrepreneurs in Peru with quality business education and enhanced access to capital.

About ING
ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 85 million residential, corporate and institutional clients in more than 40 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 115,000 people, ING is dedicated to setting the standard in helping our clients manage their financial future.

In the U.S., the ING (NYSE: ING) family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which includes life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves nearly 30 million customers across the nation.

ING's diversity management philosophy and commitment to workforce diversity, diversity marketing, corporate citizenship and supplier diversity fosters an inclusive environment for employees that supports a distinctive product and service experience for the financial services consumer.

For more information, visit www.ing.com/us.

About the ING Foundation
The ING Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life in the communities where ING operates and its employees and customers live. Through charitable giving and employee volunteerism, the foundation focuses on programs in the areas of financial literacy, children's education, diversity and environmental sustainability.

For more information, visit www.ing-usafoundation.com.

About Girls Incorporated
Girls Incorporated is a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart and boldSM. With local roots dating to 1864 and national status since 1945, Girls Inc. has responded to the changing needs of girls and their communities through research-based programs and advocacy that empower girls to reach their full potential and understand, value and assert their rights. In 2007, Girls Inc. reached over 900,000 girls through Girls Inc. affiliates, its website, www.girlsinc.org, and educational publications.

ING

ING

ING U.S. constitutes the U.S.-based retirement, investment management and life insurance operations of Netherlands-based ING Groep N.V. (NYSE: ING). In the U.S., the ING family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, including retirement plans, IRA rollovers and transfers, stable value, institutional investment management, mutual funds, alternative investments, life insurance, employee benefits, fixed and indexed annuities and financial planning. ING U.S. holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves approximately 13 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit http://ing.us.

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