DAVIESS/MARTIN CO. – The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation continues to invest in the health and well-being of Daviess and Martin County youth and families. A grant award of $10,000 was recently presented to Youth First, Inc. to provide mental health support and substance misuse prevention through their school-based student assistance program.
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, Perdue Farms’ charitable giving partner, awards grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that benefit communities where large numbers of its associates live and work. The foundation focuses on strengthening communities in the following areas: agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety.
The grant is part of Perdue Farms’ Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors® outreach, which focuses on improving quality of life and building strong communities.
“At Perdue, we are committed to enhancing the communities where our associates live and work,” said Sara Norfolk, complex human resource manager for Perdue Farms in Washington. “We are proud to continue to invest in Youth First’s program to make sure no child falls through the cracks when it comes to mental health care.”
The grant to Youth First will allow for continued mental health support for approximately 4,350 students in 11 Daviess and Martin County schools. Youth First partners with 125 schools across 14 Indiana counties to embed prevention programs and over 90 skilled mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), bilingual support personnel, and parent engagement coordinators in school buildings, where they provide extra mental health support for students and prevention coaching for parents and teachers.
Youth First Founder Dr. Bill Wooten attended the check presentation and shared why he started the organization: “It was important to me that all children receive this type of support so they remain healthy, hopeful, and focused on school.”
Youth First Mental Health Professionals build caring relationships, foster readiness for positive change, and boost resiliency, among other valuable life skills. Research shows that these protective factors are the keys to effective prevention of adverse outcomes for young people. The organization’s positive work and strategies drive growth, with more schools seeking Youth First’s help to address the growing need for mental health support for students.
