Boston Harbor Now, a nonprofit working to realize Boston Harbor’s potential to benefit our city and region, has been named a 2020 Champion in Action in the category of Environmental Stewardship.
The award, announced jointly by Citizens Bank and NECN, includes $35,000 in unrestricted funding, as well as promotional and volunteer support for the organization’s outstanding work.
Boston Harbor Now works at the intersection of people and nature to advocate for an accessible, inclusive and resilient waterfront, harbor and islands. They seek to activate the harbor, reconnect it with Greater Boston’s communities, protect water-dependent uses and broaden the constituency for the harbor by hosting diverse programs and promoting equitable access through hundreds of free and low-cost programs on the waterfront and in the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. They work in partnership with public agencies, communities and private and non-profit partners.
Champions in Action is part of Citizens Helping Citizens, the bank’s initiative designed to help local communities prosper. It provides support for nonprofit organizations to recognize their contributions to communities throughout Massachusetts.
"Boston Harbor Now is working tirelessly to protect and strengthen Boston’s waterfront, harbor and islands," said Jerry Sargent, president of Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. "Through collaboration, community access programming and robust educational resources, BHN is forging authentic connections between our neighbors and the environment."
“Accessibility to the beauty of our waterfronts for everyone in the community is what sets Boston apart,” said Chris Wayland, president and general manager of the NBCUniversal Boston Owned Properties and Regional Sports Networks. “We are grateful to Boston Harbor Now for their renown work of inclusion and low cost events provided to all residents and visitors who step foot on our coastal lands.”
To date, the Champions in Action program has awarded more than $9.7 million in contributions and promotional support to 347 nonprofits across the bank’s footprint. In Massachusetts, 55 nonprofits have been honored as Champions in Action, receiving more than $1.5 million.
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"In a year when our waterfront and public parks and open spaces have become critically important to our physical, mental and emotional health, being named a Champion in Action is particularly meaningful," said Kathy Abbott, president and CEO of Boston Harbor Now. "Connecting with nature and each other is particularly powerful and needed now. We are deeply grateful for this honor, and we look forward to the new collaborations that will enable more people to benefit from Boston Harbor and all it has to offer the Greater Boston region."
As a Champion in Action, Boston Harbor Now will receive:
• A $35,000 unrestricted contribution from Citizens Bank;
• Media coverage from NECN, including features and public service announcements;
• Volunteer support from Citizens Bank colleagues;
• Complimentary membership to the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network;
• Promotional support highlighting the organization in Citizens Bank branches;
• Exposure on the Citizens Bank and NECN websites.
For more information about the Citizens Bank and NECN Champions in Action program, visit www.citizensbank.com/community/champions-in-action.aspx.
