MANCHESTER-- In honor of the Franco-American community, The International Institute of New Hampshire is presenting the 2010 Golden Door Award to St. Mary’s Bank, an institution that has made outstanding civic contributions through business and personal banking. In recognition of St. Mary's contributions, an outdoor celebration will be held at the Franco-American Centre in Manchester on May 23, 2010 at noon. Proceeds from the event benefit the International Institute.

Founded in 1908, St. Mary's served Manchester's growing immigrant population, and today, it remains a beacon of Manchester's Franco-American heritage. As the nation's first credit union, St. Mary's made significant contributions to the Franco-American community and continues to serve greater Manchester and New Hampshire. The Golden Door Award holds special significance as it echoes the final line of Emma Lazarus's sonnet inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty: “I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The International Institute provides services to support immigrants and refugees. Services tailored to individual needs include: resettlement support, legal assistance, treatment for survivors of torture, employment training, literacy instruction and economic development and microenterprise programs. Such services and programming allow immigrants to transform their lives by equipping them with the tools necessary to achieve self-sufficiency and actively participate in their community.

Tickets are available to St. Mary's Bank members at half price. The general public can purchase tickets for $25. Children under 12 attend free when accompanied by a parent. Come celebrate St. Mary’s Bank and New Hampshire’s immigrant heritage!

For more information or to purchase tickets visit: www.iiboston.org, contact Annie Kiel at 617.695.9990 ext.138 or akiel@iiboston.org.