PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2005--'Tis the season of giving, and 14 community groups in Arizona are being awarded more than $30,000 in grants by the U.S. Bancorp Foundation. Hope Levin, regional president for U.S. Bank in Arizona, announced the artistic and cultural enrichment, education, economic opportunity and human services grants.

"These community organizations are the cornerstone of the Arizona community," said Levin. "They help improve the quality of life by providing cultural and education opportunities, as well as funding basic needs of human services. This benefits all Arizonans."

U.S. Bancorp is providing grants to the following nonprofit organizations:

• Arizona Center for Consumer Education - to enhance its financial education programs that educate the public on sound personal financial skills and money management principles;



• Arizona Opera - to supports its free "Opera Soup" school touring program;



• Arizona Saves, Inc. - for operating support of its programs that build financial sufficiency;



• Community Housing Resources of Arizona - to provide operating support allowing the nonprofit to promote fair and equal housing opportunities for low-income Phoenix residents;



• Fountain Hills Community Theater, Inc. - for its youth theater and education programs that provide rich theatrical and educational experiences;



• HomeBase Youth Shelter - to help fund its Transitional Living Program that supports homeless youth;



• Homeward Bound - to assist with operating support so it can continue to provide transitional housing for the homeless and families with children suffering from domestic violence;



• Housing for Mesa, Inc. - to provide operating support that will enable the organization to provide homebuyer education courses, individual counseling to take down barriers to home ownership, and acquire and rehabilitate affordable housing for low-income first-time homebuyer families;



• Jobs for Arizona's Graduates - for operating support that will assist its programs which help young people stay in school and acquire the academic, personal, leadership and vocational skills they will need to be successful upon graduation;



• Maryvale Revitalization Corporation - to provide general operating support to help the organization promote and facilitate the revitalization of the Maryvale community;



• Society of St. Vincent de Paul - for operating support that will allow the Society to continue serving working families, homeless and low-income people across central and northern Arizona;



• Tempe Family YMCA - to assist with its Prepare to S.W.I.M. program;



• Brandon Webb's K Foundation - to provide funding for the K is for Knowledge program that strives to help at-risk youth and their families throughout Arizona; and



• Valley Youth Theatre - for its Literacy and the Arts program that benefits inner-city school children by bringing unique educational and cultural experiences to thousands of our community's future leaders.

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $207 billion in assets, is the 6th largest financial holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,411 banking offices and 4,999 ATMs in 24 states, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee in which the company pays customers if certain key banking benefits and services are not met. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

CONTACT: U.S. Bank
Amy Frantti, 612-303-0733