#United States #New York #mental health #Youth Empowerment #Hidden Healing Fund

The Hidden Healing Fund's Impact on Youth Mental Health

In a groundbreaking move to address the pressing mental health needs of young people, the Hidden Healing Fund has announced grants totaling $1.1 million to eleven unique community organizations across the United States and the United Kingdom. Established by Pinterest in collaboration with SHOWTIME and MTV Entertainment Studios, this fund aims to support innovative and culturally rooted approaches to mental health care.

Launched in May 2024, the Hidden Healing Fund prioritizes the incorporation of cultural experiences and practices in its mission to enhance mental well-being among youth. The distinguishing feature of this initiative is its commitment to co-design and co-ownership. Community leaders and young individuals actively shape the fund's priorities, ensuring that the solutions provided are relevant and tailored to their needs. This collaborative model allows grassroots organizations to better serve the populations they represent while bridging significant gaps in mental health care.

The inaugural grantees employ diverse methods—spanning arts, mentorship, and recreational activities—to tackle the multifaceted challenges of youth mental health. By leveraging creative outlets such as music, poetry, and hip-hop along with engaging activities like double dutch and boxing, these organizations foster resilience and self-expression among young participants. With trauma-informed care as a foundation, each program aims to cultivate environments that promote emotional healing and community connection.

Meet the Visionaries Behind the Grantees

The selected organizations showcase a variety of innovative and culturally-focused initiatives that are making strides in supporting youth mental health:

1. Art as Mentorship (AM) - Based in Kansas City, MO, AM connects music with mental health, nurturing young artists and advocating for the arts as a crucial avenue for healthy behavior and professional development.

2. ArtStart Rhinelander - Located in Rhinelander, WI, this initiative focuses on strengthening community through arts education, creatively driving cultural and economic growth.

3. BAY-Peace - Serving Oakland, CA, BAY-Peace empowers youth to heal from systemic violence and trauma through holistic leadership and participatory action research.

4. Beats Rhymes and Life - This Oakland, CA, organization harnesses the healing power of hip-hop for marginalized youth, facilitating resilience and self-discovery through culturally resonant programming.

5. Black Girls Jump - Promoting fitness through the joyful art of double dutch, this Chicago-based initiative addresses health disparities while emphasizing cultural roots and community engagement.

6. Camping to Connect - Operating in New York and Denver, this program utilizes nature immersion to counteract mental health challenges, particularly among young men of color in urban settings.

7. Empire Fighting Chance - Hailing from Bristol, England, this organization combines non-contact boxing with psychological support to facilitate personal growth and improve mental health among youth.

8. Hidden Healers - A youth-led movement in New York and Washington, D.C., it champions cultural advocacy and ancestral practices in mental health, creating platforms for underrepresented voices.

9. Play for Progress - Located in London, this organization engages unaccompanied young asylum seekers through creative arts, fostering supportive communities and resilience.

10. Poetic Unity - Based in Brixton, this initiative uses poetry as a healing tool, offering educational and mental health support to empower young individuals.

11. We Are Culture Creators - Based in Detroit, MI, this group combines mentorship with cultural pride, directing young people towards becoming influential artistic and entrepreneurial leaders.

A Community-Centered Approach to Mental Health

The selection process for these grantees emphasized the importance of community leadership, innovative practices, and alignment with the mission of the Hidden Healing Fund. An Advisory Committee comprising community leaders and field experts shaped this equitable approach, ensuring the initiative directly addresses the real needs of local communities.

Leaders from the grantee organizations have expressed how crucial this funding is for their missions. Melinda Childs, Community Cultural Development Director at ArtStart, highlighted how the support allows them to deepen their arts healing model and enhance partnerships within the healthcare community. Maddox Guerilla, a youth mental health leader from Hidden Healers, celebrated the fund's commitment to center historically marginalized voices, stating, "We're igniting a movement to empower young people to take action."

Anne Wintroub, head of Social Impact and Engagement at lululemon, affirmed the Fund's dedication to breaking down barriers to well-being by investing in culturally rooted practices that inspire resilience. As the Hidden Healing Fund sets a new standard in philanthropy, it simultaneously champions the collective values of its grantees.

For further details and updates, please visit Hidden Healing Fund's official website. With the implementation of these grants, the Hidden Healing Fund symbolizes an inspiring step towards redefining mental health care for young people, championing the healing possibilities embedded in cultural practices.