IAM Strong to Begin Grant Cycle

IAM STRONG TO BEGIN GRANT CYCLE

By Antonia R. Nedder

The IAM Strong Foundation, which seeks to shatter the stigma surrounding adolescent mental health issues, is proud to announce that they will begin their first grant awarding cycle this fall.

IAM Strong began in January of 2015, after the passing of Isabelle Medina, an adolescent who took her own life. In creating the organization, friends and family sought to open the conversation about adolescent mental health issues. In just four months, the organization has created a significant presence on facebook, instagram, and twitter, with thousands of followers. On May 3rd they held the first annual IAM Strong 5k Run/Walk, and it was a tremendous success. Over 700 people participated, and thanks to such widespread participation, a grant cycle will be established to begin in the Fall.

“That was what we were always hoping to be able to do,” says board member Cheryl Morrison Deutsch. “The 5k was about raising awareness. But the community came out and supported us in such a tremendous way that we can give back immediately.“

With the grant cycle, IAM Strong will fund programming and support for non-profits with similar missions, to open the conversation about adolescent mental health and to provide support to those who are struggling. Grant criteria and the application process will be announced in late summer, with a grant cycle targeted to begin in October.

IAM Strong is also planning to sponsor its own programming as well. Most recently, in April of this year, IAM Strong participated in the MIAA –MSSAA Conference entitled “Teen Mental Health Depression and Suicide: Creating Communities of Awareness and Support.” Although IAM Strong had only been established for three months at the time, thanks to initial donations and IAM Strong bracelet sales, IAM Strong was able to fund participation for fourteen educators from the Westwood Public Schools.

Several board members from IAM Strong attended the one day conference, along with seven teachers and staff from Thurston Middle School, seven teachers and staff from Westwood High School, and Westwood Youth and Family Services staff. The day featured keynote speaker Larry Berkowitz, director and co founder of the Riverside Trauma Center, as well as break out sessions on a variety of teen mental health topics. An afternoon panel featured two student speakers.

“It was a very energizing and empowering day,” says Morrison Deutsch. “The message about destigmatization was really resonating with such a large audience. “ Sean Bevan, Principal of Westwood High School, felt the conference provided a great opportunity for team building among his staff. The workshops that Bevan attended were “really helpful to understand the broader impact of mental health and teen mental health here in our community.”

Kyle Grady, Acting Principal of Thurston Middle School, also found the conference to be very helpful. “It was incredibly valuable to our faculty and staff,” he says. “We learned that adolescent mental health issues are very broad and that there’s a lot of work to be done in this area. There are many agencies out there that are willing to educate schools and students and parents. But we also realize that the scope of these problems are well beyond that of one agency such as a school, and really involve organizations like the IAM Strong Foundation to pair with towns in getting information out there so that we can better address our children.”

According to Morrison Deutsch, IAM Strong continues to seek out the best programs in the area related to mental health and teens. Propelled by the success of the 5k, the ongoing positive response to IAM Strong and its mission, and the grant cycle to come, IAM Strong is poised to continue to make great strides for adolescents and mental health. Says Morrison Deutsch, “All of these events energize us and it’s clear that we’re touching on something that’s important.”

To find out more, go to www.iamstrongfoundation.org . To check out the IAM Strong Instagram page, go to @iam.strong.foundation. Their facebook page is at www.facebook.com/IAMStrongFoundation.