Every generation thinks theirs is the most difficult to grow up in. But today’s teens and young adults have unprecedented challenges: social media and the pressures that come with it, questions about their future employment opportunities and now, the impacts of the pandemic. It all takes a toll on their mental well-being.
As the mother of four living in Pittsburgh — a major college town — I saw first-hand the need to elevate mental health in our schools. We needed scalable ways to support our local colleges and universities so that they could better help students navigate emotional health challenges and reach their full potential.
That’s why we reached out to The Jed Foundation. We were looking for an established organization in the mental health field with whom to partner. That’s why we have underwritten support of ten colleges in Pittsburgh as well as one in Virginia and a boarding school for the JED Campus program.
We’ve seen firsthand how JED’s Comprehensive Approach transforms an entire college or university — from students to administration to staff — to focus on mental health across a campus. But, it goes beyond just one campus. With the help and expertise of the JED team, we’re creating a community of staff and students who are elevating mental health across campuses. To see schools become united, before COVID-19 and more so now, is totally transformative. This is, as you can imagine, very exciting to us!
As part of this work, and using the structures already in place across our school systems and JED’s resources, we started Unpack U, an innovative, inclusive program that helps universities address the extraordinary transitions facing today’s college students. It’s a testament to what happens when we think holistically about mental health in our schools.
We are dedicated partners with JED because we have seen the impact of our work together, providing tools and resources to help young people thrive. Please help spread this impact to other schools and communities by making a gift today.
Thank you,
Cindy Citrone
C33 Foundation
