How You Are Helping
Your support in every form, going to an event we host or take part in, buying a sticker or a shirt, your direct donations, sending us your fundraiser ideas, our Rainbow Warriors on Patreon, all of your support, it comes together to make a difference.
Together we have many goals to achieve at the local, state & national levels. Our first phase of direct mental health support for children & their families is helping in Rio’s neighborhood in the school systems & beyond in Elkhart, Indiana.
During the 2022 school year, and our first as an organization, we launched group sessions through Oaklawn in area middle schools called Building Hope Week to Week. These sessions happen each semester for both students and families focused on helping them with tools they can use in the day to day for the rest of their lives.
Not sure what mental health is? No judgement, it’s time to educate yourself.
Building Hope Week to Week is an 8 week program cycle throughout the school year. The program teaches mindfulness, resilience, confidence and hope and works with both students and their parents. This program has allowed us to provide support directly to local children & their families which has been a resounding success. The course was extended from a 6 week to an 8 week program, students have shown an overall improvement in their attitudes and mentalities. They have been supporting each other in the hallways and outside of the sessions, building a sense of community. We have found that several students who signed up for the first sessions have returned and joined in additional sessions!
Our goal for 2023 is to expand similar programs into the local elementary schools with diverse expert partners but we cannot grow without your continued support.
We have also given care packages directly to local families after experiencing the loss of a child. We include items in this care package that we are intimately aware of the impact given our own experience with this sudden loss. (Curious what’s on our list?)
Number of local children & families that we have supported together so far.
Through your support to date, we’ve also offered additional mental health support staff members to allow for added & direct focus at the middle school level to make an impact for all Elkhart Community middle school students.
Your continued support will help expand our reach in offering mental health services to our children & students. We aim to accomplish this further by also directing our efforts in the areas of education and legislation.
We supported and advised on Indiana House Bill 1483 which places new requirements on school districts to better report incidents of bullying both to parents of the victim and parents of the bully. It specifies the requirement to report the incident to all parties within 5 business days after the incident is reported along with more outlined response stipulations. Several members of Rio’s Rainbow and the Parent Coalition testified to state senators and advised around the legislation language which helped to refine and pass the bill to take effect Summer 2023.
Change comes with time and focus, which we’re committed to alongside you. We have a lot more work to do, together we can make a difference!
We Have Work to Do
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