Born This Way Foundation

Meet Emotion Dysregulation in Autism (📍- United Kingdom 🇬🇧) Kindness in Community Fund grantee, EDA, Emotion Dysregulation in Autism, is a newly registered charity. It is a mental health charity for autistic young people. Its charitable aims are to improve the mental health of autistic young people. “Our main charitable activities are delivery of : • Psychologically informed peer support to young people with mental illness and autism • Delivery of training to mental health clinicians about autism • Youth social action in community settings to educate the public about mental health • We are the catalyst for the change that the world needs to see. The fund will be absolutely transformational to our work, empowering our workers to reach more young people’s lives. The fund will enable us on our mission to spark a youth mental health revolution, where we champion long term systemic change in the lives of autistic young people and those that support them.” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

As young people head back to school, tech's role in their mental health is more crucial than ever 💖📲 Join the Family Online Safety Institute on September 4th, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM ET, for an insightful discussion with leading mental health and tech professionals. Don't miss this important conversation on navigating back-to-school challenges! ✍️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/efUZpQHq #BackToSchool #YouthMentalHealth #FOSIWebinar Panelists: Claudia-Santi F. Fernandes, EdD, LPC, Patricia Noel, LMSW, Nicole Owings-Fonner, MA, PMP, Shairi Turner, MD, MPH, Lindsay Fleming, LPC, Alanna Powers

We’re still on cloud nine from the ongoing Cotton On + Cotton On Foundation partnership! Learn from fans who met Lady Gaga + shared how Born This Way Foundation has impacted them through the Kinder, Braver Together campaign. #ChannelKindness "It’s the friendships and the dancing together and singing together and going out to dinner and catching up; it’s just been so beautiful.” 💛💜 📝: Emma Carroll

Meet COR (📍- United States 🇺🇸) Kindness in Community Fund grantee, COR, is on a mission to DISRUPT race and poverty based inequities one student, one family, one school, and one community at a time. Key Programs: 🥕 CORner Store - always free quality and diverse food choices + basic needs support 📚 Power of Prevention Education - provides essential life-skills training during the school day to students across grade levels 💙 Mental and Behavioral Health Support - creates safe in-school spaces with mini HUBs and HUBs for resource access and de-escalation. Through their Kindness in Community Fund grant, they’ll “increase access to services from 345 youth in 23-24 to a target 597 youth in 24-25 and increase capacity for intergenerational support of students, families, and caregivers.” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

Meet ASEc+ Associação Pela Saúde Emocional (📍- Brazil 🇧🇷) Since 2004, Kindness in Community Fund grantee, ASEc+, has been promoting mental health through socioemotional education initiatives in Brazil, mainly benefiting educators, children, youth and their families. Their purpose is to promote mental health and well-being through the development of life skills and the construction of healthy relationship spaces. Advocating for the promotion approach, ASEc+ works in the long run, aiming at positive mental health and wellness for all. In the process, they also harvest positive consequences in preventing self-harming attitudes: their evidence-based programs contribute to the development of mental health protective factors. They have already reached more than 384,000 children and youth, 31,000 professionals, in 116 Brazilian cities. In 2020, ASEc+ Youth Team was created, broadening the development and implementation of activities from youth to youth. In 2023 the Community of Youth Mental Health Ambassadors (CYMHA) was launched: safe spaces for learning, experiences exchange, bonds strengthening and collaborative construction in the promotion of youth mental health in Brazil. “KiC support will help us continue CYMHA efforts: - support networks in ambassadors’ local communities - peer-to-peer youth mental health capacity building - webinars and social media efforts to disseminate reliable content on mental health - advocacy initiatives to influence the mental health debate in Brazil - research on the experience of peer-to-peer mental health promotion” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

Meet Youth Live4Life (📍- Australia 🇦🇺) Youth Live4Life is a Kindness in Community Fund grantee and registered health promotion charity, bringing together Australian rural and regional communities to improve youth mental health and reduce suicide. They empower communities to implement the Live4Life model — the only youth mental health education and suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities. Young people are at the heart of Live4Life. Since inception in 2010, over 21,000 young people have received evidence-based mental health education. Teen and Youth Mental Health First Aid training are crucial components of their model. The model has been recognised with multiple awards — most recently: 2024 Winner ‘Communities In Action’ Award, Suicide Prevention Australia National LiFE Awards 2024 Finalist ‘Connecting Communities’ Award, 7News Young Achiever Awards Their long-term goal is to empower all rural communities across Australia to support, improve and invest in young people’s mental health and reduce suicide. Their mission is to establish Live4Life as a model available to all those communities. “Outcomes of this grant for young people in rural and regional Australia are: - Improved mental health literacy/knowledge/awareness - Increased help-seeking and help-offering behaviors - Greater confidence in discussing mental health - Reduced stigma - Improved social connectedness - Developed skills in advocacy, media, events, leadership and mental health awareness campaigns” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

Meet RYAN BARTEL FOUNDATION INC (📍- United States) Ryan Bartel Foundation is a Kindness in Community Fund grantee and organization whose mission is to build resilient and connected young people so that suicide never becomes an option for ending their pain. They envision a community where all young people have the tools and support to not only live, but to thrive. Their primary programs include: The FORT, a safe, healing, inclusive community space for pre-teens and teens to de-stress, connect in person with peers and engage in experiential activities that help them foster friendships, while learning new skills to cope with the stresses of life; Teen Ambassador program, a year long program for high schoolers to develop improved mental health literacy and leadership skills to support their peers at the FORT, in their school and community; Teen Mental Wellness (TMW) Facilitator Training, a professional certification to improve The FORT facilitators’ mental health literacy and trauma informed group facilitation practices. “The support from the Kindness in Community Fund will help us expand the FORT and its support programs to underserved areas of Loudoun County, Virginia and the surrounding area to make it free and accessible to more young people.” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

Meet LifeChanger Foundation (📍- Australia 🇦🇺 + New Zealand 🇳🇿) Kindness in Community Fund grantee, LifeChanger Foundation, was established in 2016, and is a leading non-profit dedicated to preventative mental health and wellbeing. Their mission is to empower young people to thrive by developing essential social, emotional, and resilience skills, while fostering strong community connections. They envision a world where every young person is elevated to their fullest potential, believing that many of the challenges faced by today’s youth can be prevented through pre-emptive, early intervention programs that engage with youth, teachers, parents, and local mentors. Their evidence-based programs offer a holistic, continuous pathway from Year 5 to Year 12, designed to enhance young people’s mental health and wellbeing. The Awaken the Hero program focuses on building a positive self-identity, social connections, emotional intelligence, and resilience skills. Utilizing a Five Pillar Framework - Health, Life Skills, Self, Purpose, and Tribe - the program empowers young people to champion their own mental health and wellbeing. “Support from the Kindness in Community Fund will expand our reach and bring us closer to our goal of positively impacting over one million young people annually. This support ensures that we can provide the essential resources and programs needed to help young people successfully navigate life, overcome challenges, and pursue their limitless potential.” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

Meet The Mix Charity (📍- United Kingdom 🇬🇧) The Mix is a Kindness in Community Fund grantee and the UK’s leading digital charity for under 25s, reaching over 6 million young people each year. Whatever issue a young person is facing, The Mix is always there for them - via its website, over the phone, or via social media. The Mix’s support is free, confidential, and anonymous and can be accessed wherever young people are. They connect young people to experts and their peers to talk about everything from money to mental health, homelessness to jobs, break-ups to drugs, and more. No topic is out of bounds, and they are completely non-judgemental. “We are incredibly excited about this partnership and the positive impact the fund will have on the young community,” said Zoe Bailie, Deputy CEO, The Mix. “By working together, we can make a real difference in providing the tools and support young people need to navigate their lives confidently.” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜

Meet The Unbreakable Organization (📍- United States 🇺🇸) The Unbreakable Organization, a Kindness in Community Fund grant recipient, is dedicated to supporting individuals and communities impacted by gun violence, with a focus on mental health support for affected students. The organization’s mental health task force, comprised of licensed professionals and trauma experts, offers free resources, scholarships, and online workshops. The Youth Advisory Board, consisting of 15 members aged 15-24, plays a crucial role in addressing gun violence and the mental health needs of youth. Since 2019, The Unbreakable Organization has awarded $30,000 in scholarships to 30 students affected by gun violence, providing $1,000 to each recipient. This initiative eases financial burdens and fosters a support network among recipients, who connect, share experiences, and participate in sessions with the mental health task force and gun violence prevention leaders. Additionally, The Unbreakable Organization collaborates with high school students to implement mental health initiatives on their campuses, promoting well-being through awareness campaigns, creative projects, and fundraisers. Believing in the transformative power of young people, the organization actively involves them in driving positive change. Initiatives such as online book clubs, journaling sessions, and well-being check-ins foster healing and resilience in the aftermath of gun violence. “The Kindness in Community Fund makes these initiatives possible, ensuring we have incredible support behind us, rooting for us, and standing with us.” Learn more about their work supported by the Kindness in Community Fund and how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/edmX6pjg Cotton On Group + Cotton On Foundation 💛💜