AT&T Launches Believe Denver Initiative
AT&T and Local Nonprofits Team Up to Support Youth Mental Health
$250,000 Believe Denver Initiative to Help Local Nonprofits Expand Outreach Programs
Suicide is the leading cause of death in Colorado for ages 10 to 241 and the Colorado teen suicide rate is among the highest in the nation, at nearly twice the national average2.
Committing $250,000 this year, AT&T* is launching the Believe Denver℠ initiative to promote awareness and generate support around youth issues and suicide prevention in Colorado. With Believe Denver, AT&T is bringing together its leadership, employees and resources to work alongside nonprofits to help mitigate this issue.
Believe Denver is connecting AT&T employees to volunteer opportunities with local organizations such as One Colorado, City Year Denver, The Trevor Project and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. This program is an extension of AT&T Believes℠, a larger company-wide initiative which aims to create positive change in local communities - now active in more than 20 cities across the country.
Attorney General Phil Weiser, community leaders, nonprofit organizations and area youth participated in a forum discussion on youth mental wellness to kick off today’s public launch of Believe Denver, which took place at History Colorado.
By connecting AT&T employees with nonprofit partner organizations that support Colorado youth, Believe Denver will create opportunities to engage LGBTQ, disenfranchised and at-risk youth to inspire hope and improve the overall well-being of children in the state.
“The most important contribution of Believe Denver is the engagement of our employees,” said Roberta Robinette, president, AT&T-Colorado. “More than 230 of our employees gathered on September 4 and signed up to volunteer with local partner organizations. By coming together as a company and community to focus on a common goal, we hope we can make a meaningful difference for youth in Denver.”
“AT&T’s significant investment through Believe Denver will allow us to serve more youth in need in our community, said Morris W. Price, Jr. Vice President and Executive Director, City Year Denver. “City Year Denver is proud to partner with AT&T and its launch of Believe Denver. City Year has the ability to add much-needed capacity to under-resourced urban schools and help meet the holistic needs of all students by integrating academic and social-emotional supports throughout the school day.”
"Suicide is a leading cause of death for Colorado’s youth,” said Daniel Ramos, Executive Director, One Colorado. “We believe in our youth and their capacity to succeed and thrive. Through the investment of corporate partners like AT&T, LGBTQ youth in our state will know that they are not alone. The support from Believe Denver is critical in allowing us to ensure LGBTQ youth are attending safe, welcoming, and affirming schools in Colorado.”
“Suicide is a public health crisis, and some counties in Colorado have the highest risk for suicide attempts throughout the country,” said Chris Bright, Director of Public Training for The Trevor Project. “The Trevor Project’s crisis services have supported more than 1,500 crisis contacts from Colorado just this year. As shocking as that is, that’s less than 7% of the number of Colorado’s LGBTQ youth who seriously consider suicide and could benefit from our crisis services.”
“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado has a long-standing partnership with AT&T Colorado and we’re grateful to grow our work together with the launch of Believe Denver,” said Dave Ryan, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. “For more than 10 years, AT&T has supported our organization by way of grants, sponsorships, and employee engagement, and we’re delighted that the Believe Denver initiative will support our work of pairing high school students with mentors who provide them with the support, guidance and hope needed to succeed in life.”
To create a lasting impact, Believe Denver will continue to connect AT&T employees to volunteer opportunities with local nonprofits to help mentor homeless youth.
1 Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
