THE POINT Community Development Center (CDC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth development and the cultural and economic revitalization of the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx, has been named a Citizens’ 2024 Champion in Action® for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy. THE POINT CDC will receive $50,000 in unrestricted funding and volunteer support from Citizens to propel their work to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for New York City.
“Citizens is committed to driving positive climate impact by reducing our operational emissions, supporting our clients’ sustainability journeys, and partnering with community organizations to catalyze change,” said Rebecca O’Connell, NYC Metro Region Executive at Citizens. “As one of our 2024 Champions in Action, we are honored to support THE POINT CDC’s work to create sustainable energy solutions for the Hunts Point community.”
Over the last 30 years, THE POINT CDC has fought for the right of the residents of the South Bronx to live with clean air and clean water and with access to green space. With more than 15,000 trucks passing through the area daily and an overabundance of extractive industrial projects, the air quality in Hunts Point is one of the worst in the country, resulting in high levels of asthma, lung cancer, and other health issues. To protect residents, THE POINT leads renewable energy projects focused on reducing emissions and reliance on fossil fuels, advocating for regulations on industry and trucking, campaigning for more green space, and monitoring air quality to trace the impact of pollution.
The funds from the award will support THE POINT’s plan to establish the first community-shared solar project in the Bronx with an aim to generate over 2 MW of clean energy and provide financial benefits to over 600 low-to-moderate income households in the area. This will support the pre-development phase of the project, which will include the generation of a plan with an engineer for the construction of the solar array, and outreach to share information about the project with our community.
“We are so thrilled to receive this honor from Citizens,” said Maria Torres, President & COO of THE POINT CDC. “We started THE POINT nearly 30 years ago to fill a void for youth in Hunts Point who faced a lot of barriers and who needed space to develop leadership skills. Since then, we’ve grown into an organization that serves our community in several ways, including youth education, environmental justice advocacy, arts & culture, and community development. This Champions in Action award will go towards creating a more livable and thriving community, specifically by supporting our development of what will be the first Community-Shared Solar project in the Bronx.”
Citizens’ Champions in Action program celebrates and supports local nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million who are creating lasting change in the communities they serve. Twice a year, a nonprofit in each of Citizens’ markets is selected to receive funding, promotional and volunteer support to advance programming and services focused on a relevant topic that aligns with the bank’s community focus areas – driving positive climate impact, building the workforce of the future, and fostering strong communities.
Since the program’s launch 21 years ago, Citizens has awarded more than $10 million in unrestricted grants and promotional and volunteer support to more than 375 Champion in Action nonprofit winners across the bank’s footprint.
For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit Champions in Action. To learn more about Citizens’ work driving positive climate impact, visit Driving Positive Climate Impact | Sustainable Banking.
Photo credit: Tiffany Williams. From the left: Maria Torres, President & Chief Operating Officer at THE POINT and Rebecca O’Connell, NYC Metro Region Executive at Citizens.
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About THE POINT Community Development Corporation
THE POINT Community Development Corporation (CDC) is dedicated to youth development and the cultural and economic revitalization of the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. Celebrating over 20 years of service, THE POINT offers a multi-faceted approach to asset-based community development. Its programming falls within three main headings all aimed at the comprehensive revitalization of the Hunts Point community: Youth Development, Arts and Culture and Community Development.
To learn more, please visit here.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $222.0 billion in assets as of December 31, 2023. 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 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,100 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 citizensbank.com or visit us on X, LinkedIn or Facebook.
