CT Nonprofits Receive Red Sox Recognition for Mental Health Initiatives
/The Red Sox Foundation has announced recipients – including three Connecticut nonprofits - in the 8th Annual IMPACT Awards presented by the Ruderman Family Foundation. Five nonprofit organizations from each state in New England were nominated for the grant awards, dedicated to raising awareness and improving mental health outcomes.
The annual "IMPACT" Awards (Inspiring More Philanthropy Across Charities Together) provide Red Sox fans in the New England states with the chance to nominate their favorite local non-profit organization for their opportunity to win a grant from the Red Sox Foundation. Nominations were submitted earlier this year, and fan voting was conducted online during May.
In 2022, the IMPACT Awards continued the focus on organizations that have demonstrated deep impact in raising awareness and improving the mental health outcomes in their community. The three organizations with the most votes in each state will win a grant: $10,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place.
The Connecticut recipients this year are:
· 1st Place: Community Health Resources Inc.
· 2nd Place: Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford
· 3rd Place: Abilis Inc.
CHR is Connecticut’s most comprehensive, nonprofit behavioral healthcare agency, offering a wide range of programs for children, families and adults whose lives have been touched by mental illness, addiction, trauma, homelessness and more. CHR was the first nonprofit agency in CT to meet all of the rigorous federal criteria as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and has repeatedly been named among the Top Workplaces in the state.
Jewish Family Services, based in West Hartford is described as “the organization that the Jewish community, and the community at large, turns to for behavioral health, at-home care, and basic human needs.
Abilis provides services and supports for over 800 individuals with special needs and their families from birth through the life span. Abilis has been a leader in serving the special needs community in lower Fairfield County for over 70 years and has a long-standing reputation for high quality care.
As the official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation's mission is to make a difference in the lives of youth, veterans, families and communities in need by improving health, education and recreation opportunities. The Ruderman Family Foundation is an internationally recognized organization that works to end the stigma associated with mental health, by identifying gaps in mental health resources and programs within the high school and higher education communities as well as by organizing other local and national programming and initiatives that raise greater awareness.
“Mental health continues to be an ever-growing epidemic, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are delighted to once again be partnering with the Red Sox Foundation on our annual IMPACT Awards as we look to address and normalize the stigma associated with mental health across society throughout New England and beyond,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “Each one of the organizations up for nomination have shown their commitment to carry out this important mission within their communities, and in recognizing and supporting these efforts, we hope others will be inspired to do the same.”
The 2021 winners in Connecticut were: 1st Place: Special Olympics Connecticut; 2nd Place: Andover, Hebron, Marlborough Youth and Family Services; 3rd Place: Mental Health Connecticut. 2020 winners were: 1st Place: Healing Meals; 2nd Place: Mental Health Connecticut, Inc.
