Eastside Pathways is delighted to announce that Lake Washington Schools Foundation has been awarded the 2020 Bill Henningsgaard Fund for Children grant for its continuing “Balance in Mind” program that seeks to raise awareness and provide resources around youth mental health issues.
The annual $5,000 grant is meant to assist in bettering the lives of and creating opportunities for children in East King County. The focus for the grant in 2020 is Mental Health & Social Emotional Well-Being among children and youth on the Eastside. The recipient was decided by a committee composed of Eastside Pathways board members, representatives of the broader community, and experts in the field. Criteria included the number of children reached, impact on mental health, equity and inclusivity, and the scalability of the program.
Chris Enslein, Chair of the Bill Henningsgaard Fund for Children Committee at Eastside Pathways, explained their decision: “The committee was very impressed with the Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s “Balance in Mind” program, which is dedicated to education and awareness of youth mental health issues, providing training and resources to directly support students and families in Lake Washington School District. The program’s equity efforts, which include making resources available in multiple languages, was also a factor, as was the feasibility for the program to be successfully replicated elsewhere.”
“We are excited and honored to receive this grant to strengthen our efforts toward the improved mental health of our students,” stated Helen Sernett, Executive Director of Lake Washington Schools Foundation. “Mental health and emotional well-being are very real challenges for our youth. For example, 1 in 5 youth experience some mental health condition, 32% experience an anxiety disorder between the ages 13 and 17, and 11% reported one or more major depressive episodes in the past year. The current restrictions and stresses during the COVID-19 crisis will only increase the need for immediate support for our children.”
Lake Washington Schools Foundation gathers and deploys community resources to enhance academic access and to nurture all students’ emotional well-being. The Foundation has raised over $4 million to fund programs that prepare each of our district’s students for school and for life. These programs include: Balance in Mind, a program that supports the emotional well-being of students; Find Your Fit, a college-prep program for students and their families; Kids Coming Together, a program that helps students grades 3-8 form lasting connections with peers through social and community service events; LINKS, a mentoring program that matches a caring adult with students who could benefit from additional attention; and Pantry Packs, a program that provides weekend meals for students experiencing food-insecurity.
About the Fund
Bill Henningsgaard was the founding board chair and executive director of Eastside Pathways. His vision and drive launched efforts to mobilize the community using the Collective Impact framework. Tragically, Bill Henningsgaard passed away in August 2013. To honor Bill’s commitment to children and his belief in the power of collective impact, the Eastside Pathways Board established the Bill Henningsgaard Fund for Children. Awards from the fund are used to better the lives of and opportunities for children of all ages through leveraged programs in identified goals of Eastside Pathways partners.