02/13/2025
Citizens Announces $500,000 in Grants to Expand Mental Health & Well-Being Resources
Awards $450,000 to nine nonprofits for Champions in Action and $50,000 to NAMI
Providence, RI (February 12, 2025) – Ten nonprofit groups focused on improving access to mental health and wellbeing programming will receive a total of $500,000 in new funding under grants announced by Citizens today. This new funding comprises $450,000 awarded to nine nonprofits selected as its 2025 Champions in Action® for this round’s focus on mental health & well-being as well as $50,000 to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
According to Mental Health America’s 2023 State of Mental Health in America Report, more than 50 million American adults experience mental illness and 1 in 10 children experience depression. Recognizing the need for action, the 2025 Champions in Action award will support organizations who are delivering education and resources needed to help people achieve their potential and thrive. Each nonprofit recipient will receive a $50,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens along with volunteer and promotional support to advance mental health services and resources that remove barriers to adequate care for populations they serve.
Citizens has also partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to further its impact. Through a $50,000 grant, Citizens will support NAMIWalks-a series of community events promoting resilience and mental health awareness-and collaborate on a webinar series addressing financial literacy and mental health with insights from experts at NAMI.
“At Citizens, we understand how important mental health is to thriving individuals and communities,” said Michelle Hecht, Citizens’ Head of Corporate Affairs. “We’re honored to support the meaningful efforts of our 2025 Champions in Action winners to expand access to resources in our local communities and to partner with NAMI to break down barriers to mental health care, build resilience, and unlock potential for people nationwide.”
Since its launch 23 years ago, the Citizens Champions in Action program has awarded more than $11 million in unrestricted grants and promotional support to over 400 local nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million that are driving meaningful, lasting change. Focused on Citizens’ impact priorities – Fostering Strong Communities, Building the Workforce of the Future, and Driving Positive Climate Impact – this year’s program reaches a significant milestone with the recognition of the 400th Champion and the program’s expansion into California and Florida.
2025 Champions in Action – Mental Health and Well-being:
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Bay Area Creative
San Francisco, CA
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Empowers underserved youth and families of color through spoken word poetry and hip-hop dance, fostering mental health and personal growth. With funding from the Champions in Action award, they will expand therapeutic art workshops and mentorship programs to 14,000 individuals annually, bridging gaps in mental health access with stigma-free support in schools and communities.
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Black Brain Campaign
Eastern Pennsylvania
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Combats mental health stigma in the Black community by offering free therapy and clinician training through its Healing Collaborative program. Champions in Action funding will support 12-week therapy cycles, healing circles, and case management services, breaking down barriers to culturally competent mental health care.
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Children’s Bereavement Center
South Florida
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CBC provides free grief support to children, young adults, and families in underserved South Florida communities. The Champions in Action funding will help CBC expand its programs to reach more participants, host community events to destigmatize grief, and develop bilingual grief resources in Haitian, Creole and Spanish.
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Sociedad Latina
Massachusetts
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Addresses youth mental health challenges through wellness initiatives and community-driven programs. The funding will support expanded mental health interventions, staff training, and a community mapping project on eco-anxiety, while enhancing workshops and digital wellness resources for Latine youth.
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Operation Delta Dog
New Hampshire
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Operation Delta Dog rescues homeless dogs and trains them as service animals for veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and military sexual trauma. Champions in Action funding will allow them to train and place more psychiatric service dogs, reducing wait times and providing life-changing support at no cost to veterans.
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Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County
New Jersey
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BGCM fosters mental health resilience and trauma-informed care for youth through safe spaces and Positive Childhood Experiences. The funding will expand family-based programs, mindfulness workshops, and wellness garden activities, while enhancing staff training and support services for families.
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Kings Against Violence Initiative
New York City
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KAVI addresses youth mental health and violence prevention through hospital- and school-based programs and mentorship initiatives. Champions in Action funding will support operational costs, participant incentives, travel assistance, and training for Youth Advocates to guide participants through mental health resources.
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MENTOR Rhode Island
Rhode Island
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MentorRI expands access to mentoring services and mental health support for Rhode Island youth through evidence-based practices and trauma-informed care. Champions in Action funding will increase training opportunities, support a statewide mentoring summit, and enhance professional development for mentors.
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Nurture PA
Western Pennsylvania
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NurturePA supports maternal mental health through virtual mentorship for new mothers, fostering resilience and child development. Champions in Action funding will expand their reach to underserved counties, providing mentorship to 130 additional mothers annually and promoting open conversations about the challenges of motherhood.
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For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit Champions in Action | Be Inspired | Citizens (citizensbank.com). To learn more about Citizens’ Sustainability and Impact strategy, visit Sustainability and Impact (citizensbank.com).
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $217.5 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,100 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn or Facebook.
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