Perdue $10K grant to support youth mental health in Indiana

SALISBURY, Md. — The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation continues to invest in the health and well-being of youth and families in Daviess and Martin counties in Indiana. A grant award of $10,000 was recently presented to Youth First Inc. in Washington, Ind., to provide mental health support and substance misuse prevention through their school-based student assistance program.

The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving partner of Perdue Farms, awards grants to nonprofit organizations that benefit communities where large numbers of their associates live and work and 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 focused 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 schools in Daviess and Martin counties. 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 was present at 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,” Wooten said.

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