Last year, JCPenney partnered with Mental Health America (MHA) in advancing the future of youth mental health with a $100,000 investment in the Young Mental Health Leaders Council.
On June 9, JCPenney’s Head of Communications & Philanthropy and JCPenney Communities Foundation President Michelle Sing introduced select members of that Council at MHA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. for presentations on their work. The conference was attended by 700 people in person and as many as 10,000 online.
“We had a chance to learn more about the unique initiatives they are leading in their communities,” Sing reflected. “The nuanced perspectives, resilience, grit and smarts (wow!) of these young leaders blew me away – and based on the standing ovation they received, I know I wasn’t alone.”
The morning session began with a presentation by Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), who detailed funding, programming and public awareness efforts being led at the federal level.
Youth mental health has recently emerged as a focal point in national health policy. Statistics continue to reveal the significant challenges today’s young people face. JCPenney is proud to have invested in the next generation of leaders making strides in this critical area.
Support for MHA’s Young Mental Health Leaders Council program came from the JCPenney Communities Foundation which is funded in part by Round Up, a program that allows jcpenney.com customers to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar. The JCPenney Communities Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 charitable organization and an integral part of JCPenney’s company giving program.
MHA Associate Vice President of Peer and Youth Advocacy Kelly Davis (middle) facilitated the Young Mental Health Leaders panel with (from left to right) Crystal Widado, Jose Caballero, Mariama Bah, and Rei Scott.
