The Cigna Group Foundation Launches Grant Program To Improve Veteran Mental Health

• Initiative commits $9M over three years, with a first-year focus on housing stability
• Request for application now open for nonprofits prioritizing veteran mental health with programs and services directly connected to housing and homelessness challenges

BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Aug. 12, 2024  /PRNewswire/ -- The Cigna Group Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI), announced today a new grant program that will commit $9 million over three years to help improve the mental health and well-being of military veterans, with a first-year focus on housing stability among this specific population.

Compared to the general population, military veterans face an increased risk of homelessness, with an estimated 40,000 veterans who go without shelter on any given night. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the number of veterans experiencing homelessness increased by 7% between 2022 and 2023.

"The Cigna Group Foundation has a longstanding commitment to the health and vitality of our nation's military veterans and their families," said Melissa Skottegaard, board chair of The Cigna Group Foundation. "Too many veterans struggle with the invisible wounds of war, including brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, both of which correlate to experiencing homelessness. By providing stable housing, one of the key social determinants of health, we can help provide much-needed security and help reduce mental distress disorders among our veteran population. We look forward to collaborating with and supporting nonprofit organizations that are making a difference for those who have served our country."

Grant request for application to support veteran mental health now open

To help address this crisis, The Cigna Group Foundation has opened its grant request for application for nonprofit organizations with programming delivered in select states. Applications may be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.

The Cigna Group Foundation seeks to collaborate with and support nonprofit organizations that leverage evidence-informed programs and services to help local veterans – including underserved populations, such as women, Hispanic and Black veterans – feel stable where they live and ultimately create positive impact on their mental health. The Cigna Group Foundation is focused on approaches that may leverage the Housing First model, which prioritizes permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, but that is not required.

Specifically, the programs that will be led in local communities by nonprofit organizations should align to at least one of these program goals:

• Increase permanent housing available for veterans.
• Improve affordability for housing for veterans through rental or mortgage assistance.
• Enhance the offering of wraparound services for veterans transitioning from shelters.

The Cigna Group Foundation will prioritize grants in regions where The Cigna Group serves a significant number of customers with high and very high social determinant of health risks, as well as where it has a concentration of employees. This includes Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas.

Habitat For Humanity International Among First Grantees

Among the first grantees is Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), which will use a $250,000 grant from The Cigna Group Foundation to support increased homeownership opportunities to veterans through an expansion of its HUD-VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) initiative. This program links HUD rental assistance vouchers with continued case management for veterans who have faced homelessness. Once veterans have been stably housed for two years, they can then use the rental assistance vouchers to purchase an affordable home constructed by local HFHI affiliates.

"Housing instability continues to impact every community across the United States, including military veterans," said Adrienne Goolsby, senior vice president of U.S. Office and Canada at Habitat for Humanity International. "Veterans have made significant sacrifices in service to the country and so it is imperative that we leverage the tools at our disposal to ensure veterans are set up for success. We know that increased access to affordable homeownership leads to improved health, education, and employment outcomes for veterans and their families. Habitat is excited to partner with The Cigna Group Foundation to work alongside more veterans to ensure they have a safe, decent and affordable place to call home."

More information about the approach, application process, and requirements for veteran mental health grant program can be found here.

About The Cigna Group
The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) is a global health company committed to creating a better future built on the vitality of every individual and every community. We relentlessly challenge ourselves to partner and innovate solutions for better health. The Cigna Group includes products and services marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Health Services or its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions and has more than 186 million customer relationships around the world. Learn more at thecignagroup.com.

About The Cigna Group Foundation
The Cigna Group Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group Foundation supports organizations sharing its commitment to enhancing the health of individuals and families, and the well-being of their communities, with a special focus on those communities where employees of The Cigna Group live and work.

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SOURCE The Cigna Group