Bread Financial® announces $2.5 million gift to support military-connected families through The Kids Mental Health Foundation

Gift will support the Foundation’s efforts to address gaps in mental health care for children of military-connected families 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Nov. 20, 2024 - Bread Financial®, a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions, today announced a $2.5 million gift to The Kids Mental Health Foundation, the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States and founded by Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The gift will enable The Kids Mental Health Foundation and their partners to implement various pilot and permanent programs aimed at enhancing the mental well-being of children. One such program is focused on supporting the mental health of children from military-connected families, who often face unique challenges due to frequent moves and deployments.

After a thorough gap analysis, including meetings with various military-focused organizations, The Kids Mental Health Foundation found that children of military-connected families often face a lack of understanding and belonging from their schools, peers and broader community.  To combat this, The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s new program, currently in pilot, will provide teachers, coaches and other adults who may lack training or context about the military with specific information on its connections to mental health. Bread Financial’s gift will also fund long-term programming, including web resources, curriculum development, and the identification of effective distribution channels to address these gaps. 

“We want to create a world where mental health is part of the upbringing of every child, and that includes our military families,” said Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, Associate Clinical Director, The Kids Mental Health Foundation. “Military life often comes with uncertainty and frequent change, both of which can be difficult for parents and children. Many people or systems who support military-connected kids have no military context or understanding, and we want to create critical resources to help support the mental health of military families." 

In addition to providing resources for those who support military-connected families, the gift will help increase the reach and impact of existing Kids Mental Health Foundation programming for educators, working parents, coaches and primary care providers.   

“Bread Financial is dedicated to supporting The Kids Mental Health Foundation in its mission to uplift children of military-connected families who deserve access to resources that will help them thrive in all aspects of their lives,” said Ralph Andretta, president and chief executive officer, Bread Financial.  “By partnering with innovative organizations like The Kids Mental Health Foundation, we look forward to making a measurable impact that addresses gaps and increases support to improve the mental health of children of military-connected families.”