Citizens celebrates 20 years of creating lasting change in communities with Champions in Action program
Citizens’ Champions in Action® program is celebrating its 20th year in 2022, looking back on two decades and $10 million of grants to more than 350 nonprofits that help to better their communities. In the Pittsburgh area alone, over those 20 years, the program has awarded 51 nonprofits with a total of $1.4 million in grants, as well as publicity and volunteerism.
“Citizens created the Champions in Action program in 2002 to address the unique social challenges faced by our communities,” said Mark Rendulic, Citizens’ Pittsburgh market president. “The initiative rewards established nonprofit organizations, to help them reach the next level.”
Champions in Action are named twice a year, and must be nonprofits addressing specific social topics with a total operating budget of $5 million or less. The organizations must provide proof of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and be based in Eastern or Western Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Rhode Island.
Each Champion in Action in the Pittsburgh area receives a grant of $35,000 in unrestricted funds from Citizens, as well as media coverage and public service announcements through partners like Trib Total Media and a boost in volunteerism from Citizens employees.
All of these benefits allow smaller nonprofits to have a larger impact where it matters most: in their local communities.
That impact has certainly been felt by the more than 50 organizations in Western Pennsylvania that have been awarded by Champions in Action. “Across the bank’s footprint, and especially here in Pittsburgh, community is at the heart of who we are. Our support helps enable the long-term growth and success of these organizations, making the community stronger in every aspect,” said Rendulic.
For example, Dress for Success Pittsburgh is one organization that has been able to expand and better serve the area since becoming a part of the program. Dress for Success Pittsburgh, which provides professional attire and employee readiness support for women seeking employment, was started in Western Pennsylvania in 2005 and received the award in 2016.
“It gave us some financial stability and some exposure to volunteers. The people working for Citizens who are signing up for volunteerism, they make a big impact when you have a small team,” said Tanya Vokes, the CEO of Dress for Success Pittsburgh.
Dress for Success Pittsburgh has expanded their reach from a handful of brick-and-mortar locations to a small fleet of mobile boutiques to better service women in the area.
POWER, an organization that supports the recovery of women struggling with addiction, was given a Champions in Action grant in 2009. It provided them the ability to grow their services and reach more underserved women in need of help.
“Everyone deserves to recover. Being part of the Champions in Action program was an integral part of helping to change so many women’s lives, giving them a chance at a new way of life,” said Nicole Krygowski, communications manager for POWER.
Another local nonprofit that has felt the impact of Champions in Action, especially during the pandemic, is Center of Life, a Hazelwood-based organization that provides education, life skills, and other resources to strengthen both individuals and communities. They received their grant in 2021.
“The funding assisted us with our pandemic response efforts, meal deliveries, continuing and strengthening our programs,” said Douglas Heckman, multimedia and technology manager for Center of Life.
As they look back at 20 successful years, Citizens plans to continue the trajectory of the Champions in Action program. As Rendulic said, “The program has gone through a few minor iterations throughout the years, to get to where it is today. But the mission has remained the same — and we’re excited for many more years of helping nonprofit organizations in our communities prosper.”
For more information, please visit citizensbank.com/community/champions-in-action.aspx.
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