DETROIT, July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Comerica Bank named IMAGINE Mentoring as its featured Detroit Tigers Negro Leagues Weekend community partner and donated $17,000 to the nonprofit organization, which serves, teaches and empowers young women who have experienced trauma.

IMAGINE Mentoring educates youth to imagine the power of their potential, increase their self-esteem through self-awareness, and encourage them to pursue their dreams in spite of the obstacles they face in life.

"I am proud to have Comerica as a partner," Latonya L. Garth, The IMAGINE Mentoring Program of Michigan Founder. "Their support allows IMAGINE to expand and enhance our programs in ways that otherwise would not have been possible. They truly raise the expectations of what a bank can be in and for the community."

Based in Warren (22699 Van Dyke Ave), IMAGINE Mentoring reaches youth throughout southeast Michigan, including in Detroit and communities in Macomb, Wayne and Oakland counties.

IMAGINE's programs have created a brighter future for more than 1,000 of metro Detroit's most vulnerable children. The young people who have gone through the IMAGINE program grow up to be better parents, coworkers and citizens.

As part of a more than two-decades long partnership with the Detroit Tigers to present Negro Leagues Weekend, Comerica honored IMAGINE Mentoring for its impactful community service during an on-field recognition prior to the Tigers game on July 22 against the San Diego Padres.

"IMAGINE Mentoring has become a valuable resource and life-altering support organization that helps remove obstacles and improve the lives of hundreds of young people in our communities," said Steve Davis, Comerica Bank Michigan Market President. "When you create a support system and can empower the life of a young woman who has faced traumatic and challenging situations, you can change her future and uplift families and communities in the process. IMAGINE is exceptional in providing transformative services with the mission to empower those in need."

The Tigers Negro Leagues Weekend is an annual tradition marking the longest-running weekend celebration of its kind in Major League Baseball. The weekend of festivities honors the legacy of the Negro Leagues and African Americans who have strengthened the legacy of baseball in the African American community and contributed to the rich history of the Tigers.

Including this year's financial support, Comerica and Comerica Charitable Foundation has provided IMAGINE Mentoring over $35,000 in contributions and grants since 2020. In 2022, IMAGINE Mentoring received $2,200 as part of the Comerica Lions First Down Program.

In addition to financial contributions, Comerica has mentored participants of the IMAGINE Mentoring program through extensive financial education and workforce development engagements throughout its ongoing partnership.

While IMAGINE primarily works with school-aged girls, they also serve the broader community through its annual Holiday Give Back. The Give Back provides gifts, toiletries and household items to low-income households that are struggling to make ends meet. The goal of the Holiday Give Back is to reduce the burden of the holidays on the parents, so that they can focus on their children.

The IMAGINE Mentoring Program has partnered with several organizations over the years, including the Detroit Police, I AM A Priority Women's Organization, Alternatives for Girls, Wayne County Community College-Eastern District, Monroe County Opportunity Program, National Heritage Academies, City of Detroit Media Services, United Way of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Public Schools Community District, and Triumph Church, along with Comerica. These partners and individual contributors have helped to break the barriers of low self- esteem and empower young ladies to be better for themselves and their communities.

Comerica Bank, a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated, has served Michigan longer than any other bank with a continuous presence dating back 174 years to its Detroit founding in 1849. It is the largest bank employer in metro Detroit and has approximately 4,500 employees (FTE) statewide. With one of the largest banking center networks in Michigan, Comerica nurtures lifelong relationships with unwavering integrity and financial prudence. Comerica positively impacts the lives of Michigan residents by helping customers be successful, providing financial support that assists hundreds of charitable organizations, and actively participating in Detroit's downtown revitalization. Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Comerica, Twitter: @ComericaBank and Instagram: @comerica_bank.

SOURCE Comerica Bank