In 2022, the Legacy Youth Alliance (LYA) made a strong commitment to promoting youth mental health. The group alliance recognized the importance of addressing this issue and made it their top funding priority. In order to help support the mental health needs of young people, the LYA awarded a grant to the Cardinal Mental Health Support Team to purchase 45 Calm Down Kits. 

These kits were designed to assist elementary school students when they were feeling anxious or overwhelmed. The kits contained a range of items including kinetic sand, stress balls, and 5-minute sand timers. These items were carefully chosen to provide a sense of comfort and relaxation to children when they needed it most. 

In addition to the Calm Down Kits, LYA’s grant also provided financial assistance to 11 students and staff members who did not have insurance coverage for individual therapy sessions. This funding allowed these individuals to receive the mental health support they needed, even if they could not afford to pay for it on their own. 

“As a counselor at Cardinal Community School District, I have seen firsthand the positive impact that the Calm Down Kits and therapy assistance provided by the Legacy Youth Alliance have had on our students and staff. These resources have allowed us to better support the mental health needs of those in our community, and we are incredibly grateful for LYA’s dedication to promoting youth mental health. Thank you, LYA, for all that you do to support our young people!” – Michelle Edwards, Counselor at Cardinal Community School District. 

The Legacy Youth Alliance is a youth-led organization that funds youth-serving projects and organizations. If you are interested in applying for a grant from the LYA, the next grant application cycle will be open from January 1 to February 28, 2023. For more information on mental illness, we encourage you to visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website. 

Overall, LYA’s efforts to promote youth mental health in 2022 are a testament to the organization’s commitment to supporting young people in their community. By providing resources like the Calm Down Kits and financial assistance for therapy sessions, LYA is helping to ensure that young people have the support they need to thrive and succeed.