NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Nov 5, 2012) -  For the sixth year running, [ Eastern Funding LLC ], one of the country's leading business financing companies (with a special focus on the coin laundry, convenience store, and dry cleaning industries), will support the United States Post Office's Operation Santa Claus by preparing, wrapping, and anonymously sending more than 300 holiday gifts to families across the tri-state area. This year, elf hats are flying as Eastern goes to work on [ Operation Santa Claus ] and thanks its friends for their support. As part of Eastern Funding's on-going commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, Operation Santa Claus joins a wide range of community support programs including donations this year to the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund run by the American Red Cross.

Dennis Diaz, Marketing Manager at Eastern Funding, remarked, "Even as early in the summer, when I first began preparations for Operation Santa Claus, you can feel a company-wide emotional connection to Operation Santa Claus among Eastern's employees. And now, with so many communities in our area struggling to recover from Hurricane Sandy, it is important that we include American Red Cross's Disaster Relief Fund to our community giving."

Founded by commercial banking and lending veteran [ Michael Fanger ], Eastern Funding is a leader in financing for the laundry business and is considered a "one-stop shop" for direct lending. The company makes business financing available to facilitate new equipment purchases, acquisitions and refinancing of existing businesses and real estate purchases. The company will write loans with fixed and floating rates. To augment the breadth of industries it serves, Eastern Funding has also launched a [ Specialty Vehicle ]& Equipment Funding Division, which provides lending, leasing, and direct financing programs nationally for specialty vehicles, tow trucks, and equipment.

With headquarters in New York City, Eastern Funding has provided loans of more than $700 million since its inception in 1997. The company's consistent growth and success in funding the laundry business is reflected in its top ranking by Monitor. Eastern Funding LLC is a division of Brookline Bank (NASDAQ: [ BRKL ]). For more information about Eastern Funding and its business financing services, visit [ http://www.EasternFunding.com ].