East Grand Rapids, Michigan – The East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation received an anonymous donation of $1 million to strengthen mental health support for students in the district.
The donation is being used to establish the district’s new mental health and wellness fund, according to a news release from the East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation.
The fund will be used to provide ongoing mental health training for teachers and staff, as well as to fund the district’s new wellness coordinator position, which was just created this fall.
“With the support of the Foundation’s Mental Health and Wellness Fund, we are able to help our students continue to develop supports and strategies that lead to long-term success,” said Heidi Caturra Caturra, Superintendent of Education at East Grand Rapids. said in an email to MLive. / Grand Rapids Press.
According to the foundation, the $1 million donation was given by an unnamed alumnus in the honor and memory of Francis “Tully” Frey. Her husband, Ed Frey, was the founder of the Frey Foundation.
The donation has increased support from other donors looking to support the cause, school leaders said. In December, he also encouraged two donors to pledge $50,000 each as matching gifts, encouraging others to support the fund.
The foundation hopes to grow the fund into a multi-million endowment fund over the next few years, according to a release.
“We appreciate all our supporters, especially this alum, for recognizing that our students are our greatest resource,” said Amy Stuelsma, executive director of the Foundation, in a statement. rice field.
“It is up to us to give our students the tools and training to navigate an ever-changing and unpredictable world. It provides strategies for building strong relationships in
Schools in East Grand Rapids have made student mental health a top priority in recent years, according to a news release. Last summer, the School Foundation launched a $750,000 multi-year effort to support student mental health across the district.
This fall, the district hired a new wellness coordinator and additional social workers, the release said.EGR is also providing additional training to students and staff on how to recognize problems before they become crises. increase.
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