We are proud to announce $122,000 in grants awarded during our first year to Chicago-area not-for-profits addressing mental health and suicide prevention for teens and young adults. The mission at Meg’s Legacy is to strengthen the lives of those 12-24 years old, a vulnerable age, especially those at-risk and without resources to get needed mental health support.
The team at Meg’s Legacy of Hope is very enthusiastic about these programs and so thankful for the professional experts at all these organizations who work directly with youth to improve their mental healthiness.
Here is a quick snapshot of each program:
- Barrington Youth and Family Services
They have an established drop-in counseling program at Barrington High School which is very successful. Our grant will allow BYFS to expand into the two middle schools to help students develop coping skills earlier in their lives. The hope is to intervene before mental health concerns escalate. Some of the students even come into counseling together! Bringing counselors to the kids in middle school removes the barriers of transportation and stigma. The other new program Meg’s Legacy funds are being used for is a bilingual counselor from BYFS going to Harper Community College weekly. A few weeks ago, a summer program was created for Harper students who are parents and feeling the stress and pressure of balancing school, work and family life.
- Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute
CPI provides on-site counseling services in Chicago partner schools on the south and near west side, plus a recent expansion into Chicago’s Homan Square neighborhood at Mercy Housing where clients live. The program we are funding with CPI is a mental health program for young children dealing with grief caused by trauma – whether it be a death, loss of stability, family separation or other struggles. The goal is to deal with the trauma at a young age so children can re-engage with school, friends and activities.
- Partners for Our Communities
Our grant supports POC’s program called SKYWARD BOUND, and will continue providing 250 hours of clinical therapy for students ages 14-22 at high-risk for suicide. POC is based in Palatine, and they offer mental health services for under-resourced students living in poverty with parents who are generally unsupportive of seeking clinical therapy. These teens and young adults, nearly 90% Latino in the program, have experienced trauma from youth, including domestic violence, emotional and physical abuse, and cultural identity issues.
- St Anthony’s Hospital
Our grant is supporting 2 programs through St. Anthony’s in Chicago. School-based Mental Health Program is in six underserved partner schools downtown Chicago. They provide on-site individual therapy for children and mental health care including crisis interventions. They also provide community outreach and education for parents. PATH Program is a new Pediatric and Adolescent stand-alone clinic with pediatric doctors and clinicians. They treat mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs of children.
Barrington Youth and Family – Betsy Wintringer, Executive Director, and Board Members
POC – Kathy Millin, Executive Director, and Lisa Hanson Braun, Director of Advancement, with team members
