Be a Bridge Builder for At-risk Kids in Virginia

Since our last report, our staff and volunteers at INMED USA continue to witness small and large miracles every day. In this report, we are sharing the story of Angel, who is fairly new to INMED's after-school learning lab and mental health and wellness programs.

Eight-year-old Angel is one of untold numbers of children whose lives have been forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic—and who will forever feel the aftershock.

Over the past year at school, Angel became a constant trouble-maker, disrupting class and fighting with other students. His teacher regularly sent notes to his mother about his bad behavior, but because Angel’s mother struggled with the English language, she was at a loss for how to engage with the teacher. Angel’s grades plummeted.

When the new school year began, Angel was referred to INMED USA’s after-school program for tutoring and mentoring by INMED’s bilingual staff. One day, he confided in INMED’s youth mentor that he did not have a father. When asked what happened, Angel replied, "He died of COVID and he left me.”

The youth mentor spoke with Angel’s mother and learned that the entire family had experienced a deep depression after the loss of Angel’s father. He arranged for the family to participate in INMED’s mental health and wellness program. Angel and his mother both blossomed with virtual and in-person dance therapy classes. “With the dance, the sadness went away,” says Angel’s mom.

Angel started learning traditional and hip-hop dancing with INMED’s after-school dance club, performing as the lead dancer at the annual Latino Festival in Leesburg. He was very excited that his entire family came to see his performance. Angel also received homework help and academic enrichment in INMED's after-school learning lab, which helped him improve his grades at school. 

“Since Angel began attending the INMED activities, he has changed a lot,” says his mother. “He behaves better at school and I see that he is happy."

It could have been a very different story for Angel. “All this time I have been very sad and angry,” he says. “I like to come to the little school (INMED’s Opportunity Center), because it is a lot of fun and I have friends and I feel happy.”

There are thousands of Angels among us in Loudoun County—children, teens and families struggling to piece their fragile lives back together after COVID and grappling with the impacts of skyrocketing inflation.

Perhaps you could be an angel to our neighbors in need. If you haven't done so already, please consider becoming a recurring donor. All the Angels out there will thank you for your support!

Links:

• Angel leads the INMED USA dance team at the Latino Festival

In this quarterly report, we’d like to introduce you to Ethan. His mother enrolled him in INMED USA’s teen mental health and wellness program to help him build confidence and strengthen his support network.

Recently, Ethan discovered that he loves to play the piano, but could not afford formal lessons. Nevertheless, he plays brilliantly by ear. INMED’s teen mentor heard Ethan and encouraged him to share his talent, presenting opportunities to perform at INMED events, community festivals and art exhibitions. Shy and reserved, Ethan was reluctant at first but then began to perform and enjoyed it. At one event, our teen mentor introduced Ethan to one of our community partners, who was so taken with his talent that he, in turn, introduced Ethan to a music professor at a local university. Now Ethan is being mentored and trained by that professor and will receive a scholarship to attend the university when he is ready.

This is just one example of how INMED USA’s mental health and wellness program is helping at-risk teens discover their talents and even future career paths. There are many more Ethans out there we haven’t met yet.

Why INMED is expanding mental health programming for at-risk teens

As the low-income Latino community was among the most vulnerable to the shocks of the pandemic when it began, they will also be among the last to recover, having already faced years of financial crisis, food insecurity, housing instability, digital disparities, and fractured connections to their family, school, faith and community networks.

In particular, mental health and well-being among youth has emerged as an issue of special concern. As documented in local government publications as well as regional, state and national reports, the number of youth in crisis in Loudoun County was on the rise even before the pandemic, as reflected in child abuse and neglect reports, juvenile criminal complaints, gang activity, trafficking and more. A lack of local capacity to fully meet the needs of at-risk youth and their families further compounds these problems. INMED’s programming directly bridges those critical service gaps for teens—already at such a vulnerable time in their development—who were hit hard by the challenges of the pandemic. 

How we’re helping teens thrive

INMED’s programming focuses on strengthening the mental health and wellness of at-risk and underserved teens and creating equitable opportunities for them to build resilience. Because we deploy a multi-generational approach, our programming also provides education, access to resources and skills development that parents need to build stable and nurturing environments for their teens to thrive.

Our preventive programming leverages a variety of approaches, including:

•  Evidence-based programming to promote resilience, healthy connections, and skills to navigate relational and social-emotional challenges through the One Circle model. The approach creates a safe, welcoming and inclusive community and guides youth to develop as connected, active, engaged, and authentic individuals and to grow as respectful leaders and connected allies in the community.
•  “FORTitude” teen workshops facilitated by the Ryan Bartel Foundation to help youth connect with peers, learn new skills that enable them to build self-awareness and self-esteem, and develop strategies to cope with the pressures of life, with the ultimate goal of preventing youth suicide.
•  Therapeutic music, art and drama classes to help teens express themselves in a variety of media, cope with life’s challenges and build confidence in partnership with certified music therapists from A Place to Be, performance professionals from Stagecoach Theater and various local artists who mentor, teach and inspire.
•  Teen talents: Guided mentoring to help teens discover unique talents and provide opportunities for sharing with peers or younger children, supporting positive youth development and setting personal and vocational goals.
• Mentoring: Guiding at-risk teens in group activities and discussions about topics of the teens’ own concerns, including mental health and wellness, while also helping them build leadership skills and preparing them to become mentors to others.

 We’re aiming to transform the lives of 70 more Ethans over the next year. Would you like to help us reach our goal? Thank you in advance!

Links:

• Music therapy drum circle helps teens reduce stress