PITTSBURGH – Dreams of Hope, a nonprofit arts-focused organization for queer and allied youth, has been named a 2020 Champion in Action® in the category of Inclusion & Equality. The award, announced jointly by Citizens Bank, Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares, includes $35,000 in unrestricted funding as well as promotional and volunteer support for the organization's outstanding work.

Dreams of Hope was founded in 2003 in recognition of the need for creative outlets for youth in Pittsburgh and for positive queer role models and messages in society. Through creative contributions, Dreams of Hope youth educate audiences, build awareness, increase acceptance, and learn to create positive change in their communities. Champions in Action is part of Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities, the bank's program designed to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities. In partnership with Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares, the program provides support for nonprofit organizations to recognize their contributions to communities throughout the Pittsburgh region.

"Providing LGBTQA+ youth a welcoming environment to grow in confidence, express themselves, and develop as leaders through the power of the art makes Dreams of Hope a true Champion in Action," said Mark Rendulic, Pittsburgh Market President, Citizens Bank. "Trib Total Media recognizes the power of Dreams of Hope's creative approach," said Jennifer Bertetto, Trib Total Media President and CEO. "Through the arts, Dreams of Hope enables freedom of expression."

To date, the Champions in Action program has awarded 342 nonprofits across the bank's footprint more than $9 million in contributions and promotional support. In the Pittsburgh region, 46 nonprofits have been honored as Champions in Action, receiving more than $1.3 million. "The Champions in Action recognition will amplify the messages of social change and respect that Dreams of Hope conveys through art, and the voices of those made invisible in our society," said Seth Rosenberg, Executive Director, Dreams of Hope.

As a Champion in Action, Dreams of Hope will receive: