TD Charitable Foundation Awards $10,000 Grant to MHA’s GRIT Ridgewood Program
SPRINGFIELD — TD Bank, through its TD Charitable Foundation, has donated $10,000 to MHA to support the agency’s GRIT Ridgewood residential rehabilitation-services program in Springfield. The program is designed for young men ages 18 to 26 with a co-occurring substance-use and mental-health diagnosis who seek structure, guidance, and caring to build success as they work to live their best life in recovery. GRIT Ridgewood is the only such program in the Commonwealth designed specifically for this underserved population.
“MHA is thrilled to receive such a generous donation from the TD Charitable Foundation,” said Kimberley Lee, vice president, Resource Development & Branding for MHA. “In response to the opioid epidemic that has ravaged our communities, MHA developed the GRIT Ridgewood residential treatment program using a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based model that helps residents conquer their addictions and better manage their mental-health challenges. We also help residents rebuild connections with their community and family that may have been strained or even severed. The TD Charitable Foundation’s kindness will be used specifically for activities and initiatives that assist the young men toward achieving these goals and sustaining their recovery.”
According to Lee, GRIT also assists residents in developing practical life skills such as financial literacy (including basic budgeting skills, the importance of paying bills on time, responsible use of debit and credit cards, and budgeting for emergency expenses), as well as job-search and interview skills to help them gain employment and become as self-sufficient as possible. Community engagement for GRIT residents also includes volunteerism, such as mentoring for young adults challenged by substance use.
“Supporting the GRIT program of MHA aligns with TD’s mission to create more inclusive, sustainable communities,” said Steve Webb, regional president, Southern New England, TDBank. “By providing the foundations of recovery as well as life skills, the GRIT program is helping historically underserved young men to fully participate in their communities.”