Give an Hour Receives a $100,000 Grant From the Major League Baseball Players Trust on World Mental Health Day

WASHINGTON, October 15, 2019 (Newswire.com) - Give an Hour ®, a national nonprofit that provides free mental health services, announced on World Mental Health Day a $100,000 grant from The Major League Baseball Players Trust.

“We are so excited about our new relationship with the Players Trust,” said Randy Phelps, Ph.D., CEO of Give an Hour. “What better way to spread the word about positive mental health and wellness, and especially to kids, than to partner with baseball and its real-life champions.”

The Major League Baseball Players Trust grant will support outreach and help to maintain Give an Hour’s network of nearly 7,000 mental health professionals who have provided almost 300,000 hours of support to under-served populations including U.S. service members, veterans and their families.

This grant will also support Give an Hour’s Campaign to Change Direction ®, an initiative launched by Give an Hour in 2005. The Campaign to Change Direction brings together community, corporate and nonprofit leaders to use their platforms to help change the culture around mental health, mental illness, and wellness so that all of those in need receive the care and support they deserve.

The Campaign encourages everyone to pay attention to their emotional well-being – and it reminds us that our emotional well-being is just as important as our physical well-being. The goal is to ensure that more resources will be devoted to understanding and addressing the mental health conditions that affect 1 in 4 of us. 

“Mental health is important to Players and is the foundation for healthy relationships,” said Leonor Colon, the Major League Baseball Players Association’s Senior Director of International and Domestic Player Operations. “We are excited to join and support the Campaign to Change Direction and highlight the importance of mental wellness.”

The Major League Baseball Players Association announced the grant during the 1st Change Direction Jam held on World Mental Health Day. This global mental health conversation brought together over 2,200 leaders, change agents, advocates, policymakers, and those with lived experience to share their views on mental health.

For more information go to www.changedirection.org and www.giveanhour.org

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Give an Hour®

Founded by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area, Give an Hour’s mission is to develop networks of skill-based volunteer professionals capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions prevalent within society. Since 2005, the nonprofit organization has provided free mental health services to U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. In 2015, Give an Hour expanded efforts to address the mental health needs of other populations including at-risk teens, survivors of gun violence, and those affected by natural and man-made disasters. Thus far, the U.S. network of almost 7,000 licensed mental health professionals has provided more than 297,000 hours of support.

Campaign to Change Direction®

The Campaign to Change Direction is a coalition of concerned citizens, nonprofit leaders, and leaders from the private sector who have come together to change the culture around mental health, mental illness, and wellness. The campaign encourages everyone to pay attention to their emotional well-being – and it reminds us that our emotional well-being is just as important as our physical well-being. This collective impact effort is led by Give an Hour.

Players Trust

The Players Trust is the collective charity of Major League Baseball Players. Through the Players Trust, Major Leaguers contribute their time, money and celebrity to call attention to important causes. Each year the Players Trust distributes more than $1.5 million in annual grants and programs. For additional information, please visit www.PlayersTrust.org. Follow the Trust on Twitter (@MLBPlayersTrust) and Instagram (mlbplayerstrust).

Media Contact:
Sally Charney
Phone: 703-582-6672
Email: [email protected]

Source: Give an Hour