CHICAGO, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Harris kicked off its regional sponsorship of the 2009 U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign. This marks Harris' ninth consecutive sponsorship of the program. Toy collections will take place through Dec. 17. All Harris branches in Illinois and northwest Indiana will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys. Last year, Harris collected over 30,000 toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve toy drive. "Toys for Tots is a fantastic charity because it spreads hope and happiness to children who truly need it," said Yasmin Bates-Brown, executive vice president, Community Affairs and Economic Development, Harris Bank. "For generations, the program has been raising the spirits of children and families, and Harris hopes to continue that legacy in the communities we serve." Toys for Tots was established in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles. At the time, 5,000 toys were collected and distributed to children in the Los Angeles area. About Toys for Tots Toys for Tots is a 62-year-old charitable program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve that provides an assortment of toys to disadvantaged children in over 655 communities nationwide. The organization's recognition of these children provides them with confidence and positive memories that will last a lifetime. Many of the gifts - including books, games and sporting equipment - make a significant contribution to the educational, social and recreational interests of these children. About Harris Harris is an integrated financial service organization providing more than 1.2 million personal, business and corporate clients with banking, lending, investing and wealth management solutions. The organization is a member of the BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), which also provides corporate and investment banking services in the U.S. under the BMO Capital Markets name. For more information, please visit http://www.bmocm.com/ or http://www.harrisbank.com/. Harris® is a trade name used by various financial service subsidiaries of Harris Financial Corp. Banking products and services are provided by Harris N.A., The Harris Bank, N.A. and their bank affiliates. Members FDIC. Brokerage products are offered through Harris Investor Services, Inc. (HIS), a registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC registered investment adviser. Insurance and annuities are offered through Harris Bancorp Insurance Services, Inc. (HBIS). Securities are provided by BMO Capital Markets Corp. (BMOCM), a registered broker dealer and member NYSE, FINRA and SIPC. HIS, HBIS and BMOCM are affiliated companies and are wholly owned subsidiaries of Harris Financial Corp. Products offered by HIS, HBIS and BMOCM are Not Insured by the FDIC or any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit of or Guaranteed by Any Bank or Bank Affiliate, May Lose Value. The purchase of insurance or an annuity is not a condition to any bank loan or service. Financial planning and investment advisory services are provided by Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc., an SEC registered investment adviser. Family Office Services are provided by Harris myCFO, Inc. Investment advisory services are offered by Harris myCFO Investment Advisory Services LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Harris myCFO, Inc. Not all products and services are offered in every state and/or location. DATASOURCE: Harris CONTACT: Rachel Gerds of Harris, +1-312-461-4105 Web Site: https://www.harrisbank.com/ http://www.bmocm.com/

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