East Grand Rapids — A record-setting donation is poised to make a major distinction within the psychological well being and well-being of East Grand Rapids college students.
An nameless donor and district alum has donated $1 million to the East Grand Rapids Faculties Basis to determine a Psychological Well being and Wellness Fund that the inspiration will administer for the district.
The reward is the biggest particular person contribution within the Basis’s historical past.
District Wellness Coordinator Lauren Ahlers stated the donation “will present further assets to assist college students address difficulties that come up all through their educational careers and into their younger grownup lives.”
“We’re grateful for the assist of our group and the Faculties Basis,” she stated. “This funding could have an instantaneous influence in a crucial space of want for the employees and college students of EGRPS. By supporting this crucial work, (the district) will have the ability to present direct scholar and employees interventions, training (and) the creation of programs of assist for college students in Okay-12.”
Ahlers’ personal place of wellness coordinator was established final 12 months after the inspiration made its personal $750,000, multi-year dedication to assist scholar psychological well being. Apart from that place, the district has used a few of these funds to rent a further social employee and introduce psychological well being coaching to present college students and academics the instruments to acknowledge an issue earlier than it turns into a disaster.
Pointing to the district’s said mission of “supporting the entire little one,” Ahlers stated this new million-dollar donation will allow the district to proceed this essential work.
“Transferring ahead, we need to proceed bolstering our social-emotional studying curriculum and offering instruments for college students to make use of to handle anxiousness, despair, growing wholesome relationships and different psychological well being challenges all through the college day,” she stated. “With this beneficiant reward we’ve got already begun offering skilled growth alternatives for workers and can proceed this work transferring ahead.
“The wellness coordinator place will enable us to interrupt down boundaries to accessing psychological well being helps and improve involvement inside our group.”
A Basis consultant stated two further donors, upon studying of the unprecedented donation, have already pledged $50,000 every in matching items to encourage group assist for the brand new Psychological Well being and Wellness Fund.
“I’m grateful for all our supporters, and this alum particularly, for recognizing that our college students are our biggest useful resource,” stated Basis Government Director Amy Stuursma. “It’s as much as us to supply college students with instruments and coaching to navigate their ever-changing, unpredictable world. That can improve self-awareness and supply methods for navigating stress and anxiousness, and forming wholesome, sturdy relationships.”
