Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation Donates $600K to Support COVID-19 Relief Efforts with NewYork-Presbyterian, Bring Change to Mind and Girls Inc.

New York– The Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation, whose mission is to make mental health a priority in every community, will make an emergency grant to support patient care and provide funding to charitable partners to address urgent mental health needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a multifaceted donation to three important organizations—NewYork-Presbyterian, Bring Change to Mind and Girls Inc.—the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation will provide crucial support to many communities impacted by the widespread effects of COVID-19. These organizations have all reported an increased need for services and resources during this time of uncertainty.

“Now is the time to stand together to support our community, our customers and all those affected both physically and mentally by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marc Metrick, President, Saks Fifth Avenue. “Whether it’s medical workers on the frontlines, hospitals that require more essential supplies and resources, or those experiencing stress or anxiety about the virus, we know donations through the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation will provide vital relief to those in need during this challenging and uncertain time.”

The commitment of $600,000 will deliver direct support to help combat COVID-19, and provide valuable mental health support in the wake of school closures. These include:

  • NewYork-Presbyterian COVID-19 Patient Care Fund:$250,000 donation to support general patient care needs including the purchasing of ventilators and personal protective equipment, the hiring of additional clinical staff, and capacity expansion.
  • Bring Change to Mind:$200,000 donation to help create virtual programs for high school students aimed to reduce isolation and keep students connected and supported.
  • Girls Inc.:$150,000 donation to support the expansion of virtual resources to provide programming to girls in the absence of their in-person program, as well as offer resources for social and emotional support for girls affected by the pandemic once face-to-face interactions can resume.

Last Wednesday, March 18, the Saks New York flagship dedicated its iconic Fifth Avenue windows to display a message of support for New Yorkers and gratitude for organizations on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The windows encourage the community to support organizations serving low-income and food insecure New Yorkers, especially children, the elderly, and those with medical challenges. Featured organizations include: Blessings in a Backpack, Citymeals on Wheels, Crisis Text Line, Food Bank for New York City, God’s Love We Deliver, New York Cares, No Kid Hungry, Robin Hood Foundation Relief Fund, and United Way of New York City COVID-19 Community Fund.

About the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation

Saks Fifth Avenue continues its commitment to mental health under the new name – the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation – with the mission to:

  • Increase awareness and education: Foster conversations and support educational programs that break down the stigma of mental health issues
  • Improve access to care: Increase the availability of resources to address mental health issues when and where they are needed most
  • Build protective factors: Strengthening the attitudes, behaviors and relationships that build the foundation for mental health
  • Reach target communities: Focus on support for those communities that are uniquely affected by mental health issues

Since the Foundation’s founding in 2017, originally as the HBC Foundation in the United States, Hudson’s Bay Company has:

  • Invested more than $3 million in US mental health initiatives
  • Reached nearly 2 million individuals with messages that combat the shame and stigma surrounding mental health struggles
  • Supported programing in nearly 50 high schools and colleges to create the policies, practices, and conversations to promote positive mental health outcomes
  • Funded 2 of the leading research and treatment institutions that are innovating tomorrow’s mental health breakthroughs
  • Created an internal Mental Health Ambassador program and hosted mental health awareness events for employees.

The Foundation accomplishes its mission by investing in best in class partners such as Glenn Close’s Bring Change to Mind, The Jed Foundation, NewYork-Presbyterian Youth Anxiety Center and Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.

#SaksGives

About NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic healthcare systems, encompassing 10 hospital campuses across the Greater New York area, more than 200 primary and specialty care clinics and medical groups, and an array of telemedicine services.

A leader in medical education, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is the only academic medical center in the nation affiliated with two world-class medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. This collaboration means patients have access to the country’s leading physicians, the full range of medical specialties, latest innovations in care, and research that is developing cures and saving lives.

Ranked the #5 hospital in the nation and #1 in New York in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” survey, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is also recognized as among the best in the nation in every pediatric specialty evaluated in the U.S. News “Best Children’s Hospitals” survey. Founded nearly 250 years ago, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has a long legacy of medical breakthroughs and innovation, from the invention of the Pap test to the first successful pediatric heart transplant, to pioneering the groundbreaking heart valve replacement procedure called TAVR.

NewYork-Presbyterian’s 47,000 employees and affiliated physicians are dedicated to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care to New Yorkers and patients from across the country and around the world. NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals are not for profit and provide more than $1 billion in benefits every year to the community, including medical care, school-based health clinics and support for more than 300 community programs and activities.

For more information, visit www.nyp.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Bring Change to Mind (BC2M)

In 2010, Actor Glenn Close co-founded Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), a nonprofit organization built to start the conversation about mental health, end stigma, and to raise awareness, understanding, and empathy. The idea for the organization resulted from Ms. Close’s first-hand observation of the battles with mental illness within her own family. Ms. Close’s sister, Jessie, successfully lives with bipolar disorder, and Jessie’s son, Calen, lives with schizoaffective disorder, and all three are actively involved in spreading the organization’s mission. BC2M develops influential public service announcements (PSAs); built an evidence-based, peer-to-peer program at the high school level to engage students to eradicate stigma; and has created a social movement around change by providing people with platforms to share, connect, and learn. Because science is essential to achieving this mission, BC2M’s work is grounded in the latest research, evaluated for effectiveness, and shared with confidence. An integral component of this is BC2M’s Scientific Advisory Council, which is comprised of an acclaimed team of experts in the fields of stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. To learn more please visit: www.bringchangetomind.org

About Girls Inc.

​Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. Our comprehensive approach to whole girl development equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. These positive outcomes are achieved through mentoring relationships, girls-only safe spaces, and research-based programming. Informed by girls and their families, we also advocate for legislation and policies to increase opportunities for all girls. Join us at girlsinc.org.