On Friday, September 5th, representatives from Truist, The Skills Initiative, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia gathered at CHOP to celebrate a recent $300,000 investment by the financial services company in The Skills Initiative and to meet recent Skills Initiative graduates. CHOP CEO Madeline Bell, a former board member at University City District, has been a longtime champion of The Skills Initiative and helped connect The Skills Initiative to the Truist Championship.
Truist’s investment follows overwhelming community support during the Truist Championship golf tournament held in Philadelphia this past May. In an effort to give back after the tournament, officials made a significant investment to expand workforce development programs that provide job training, career coaching, and employer partnerships to help connect Philadelphia residents with meaningful employment opportunities. The success of the Truist Championship this past May enabled the tournament to generate over $2.5 million in charitable impact for local organizations across the Greater Philadelphia region, including the $300,000 investment in The Skills Initiative.
“Philadelphia gave us incredible support during the tournament, and this investment is our way of giving back to the community that made it possible,” said Joie Chitwood, Executive Director of the 2025 Truist Championship. “We’re proud to partner with The Skills Initiative to help create real opportunities for local residents and strengthen the city’s workforce.”
At The Skills Initiative, we connect Philadelphia residents to career-track jobs through tailored training, coaching, and strong partnerships with a wide range of local employers.
Beyond the initial investment, Truist is committed to fostering a deeper relationship with The Skills Initiative.
This started on September 5th when they met recent graduates of a Skills Initiative and CHOP partnership to train participants for roles as phlebotomists at Children’s Hospital. Over the next few years, Truist teammates will pursue additional volunteer opportunities with The Skills Initiative, including mentoring, career coaching, and leadership training. Through volunteerism, Truist aims to create a long-term partnership that will continuously contribute to workforce development and make a lasting impact on the Philadelphia community.
“Philadelphia gave us incredible support during the tournament, and this investment is our way of giving back to the community that made it possible,” said Joie Chitwood, Executive Director of the 2025 Truist Championship. “We’re proud to partner with The Skills Initiative to help create real opportunities for local residents and strengthen the city’s workforce.”
“Our purpose at Truist is to inspire and build better lives and communities, and we’re proud to see this support of The Skills Initiative,” said Travis Rhodes, Truist regional president of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. “The partnership reflects a shared commitment to expand access to meaningful employment opportunities for Philadelphia residents and supports economic growth in the region.”
“This generous gift will cover the cost of 40 future participants who will go through our program seeking to connect to meaningful employment.”
Beyond the initial investment, Truist is committed to fostering a deeper relationship with The Skills Initiative. This started on September 5th when they met recent graduates of a Skills Initiative and CHOP partnership to train participants for roles as phlebotomists at Children’s Hospital. Over the next few years, Truist teammates will pursue additional volunteer opportunities with The Skills Initiative, including mentoring, career coaching, and leadership training. Through volunteerism, Truist aims to create a long-term partnership that will continuously contribute to workforce development and make a lasting impact on the Philadelphia community.
“At The Skills Initiative, we’re very excited to partner with an institution that aligns with our core values and our emphasis on personal purpose,” stated Cait Garozzo, Executive Director for The Skills Initiative. “This generous gift will cover the cost of 40 future participants who will go through our program seeking to connect to meaningful employment.”
For more information about the Truist Championship and its community initiatives, please visit www.truistchampionship.com.