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May 19, 2023 - Caminar’s Speakers Series
Climate crises, COVID-19, mass shootings, the prevalence and effects of lethal drugs like fentanyl, a polarized political environment, among so many other issues, cause anxiety, depression, and toxic stress for this generation of youth. Left unaddressed, we face an entire generation growing up with unresolved trauma, anxiety, and depression that will be passed on to future generations.
Join us on Friday, May 19, 2023, from 12 - 1:30 PM for an engaging and enlightening virtual panel discussion with adolescent mental health experts to address solutions to the question: How can we restore hope and resilience in our youth?
Institutional Giving Update
Barbara Ellis Jones Community Service Award Presented to Valle Monte League
One of the great champions of Caminar’s work was Barbara Ellis Jones. Barb was a beloved philanthropist, civic leader, tireless community volunteer, and a larger-than-life figure who was committed to bettering everyone’s life, especially though, for women and children.
Recently, our Board Chair, Barbara Patterson, presented the second annual Barbara Ellis Jones Community Service Award to Valle Monte League recognizing their dedication to providing and promoting better mental health within our community.
Valle Monte League has supported Caminar’s Family & Children Services division since 1954. Year after year, they continue to be a leader in our community to provide hope and improve access to mental health treatment and support.
This year, Valle Monte League awarded Caminar a grant of over $100,000. Valle Monte League’s generous support is invested in Caminar's school-based services, abuse prevention services, LBGTQ+ services, and counseling services.
We are immensely grateful for the longtime dedication and support of Valle Monte League.
Caminar in the News
Our CEO, Mark Cloutier, was interviewed by NBC-TV about the impact of COVID-era Medi-Cal benefits ending and the potential disruptions in benefits and treatment for both kids and adults.
Watch the interview here.
Our director of our LGBTQ Programs recently spoke with The San Jose Mercury News about the increasing number of California bills focused on gender identity.
Adrienne Keel, the director of programs at the LGBTQ Youth Space in San Jose, used to coordinate a support group for young people at the city’s Independence High School. For years, Keel said, students would tell her that the group was not just the only reason they came to school — it was the only reason they got out of bed that morning.
“Having a safe adult at school is everything,” said Keel. “If young people do not have confidential spaces where they can talk about how they’re feeling, that has devastating impacts.”
Please read the entire article here.
Adrienne Keel also recently spoke with San Jose Spotlight about a petition circulating that demands the San Jose School District support LGBTQ students:
“What is being proposed (in the petition) is, for me, pretty low-hanging fruit in terms of what schools should be doing,” Keel told San José Spotlight. “Schools have a lot of power… They’re not exclusively academic spaces."
Please read the entire article, which includes more quotes from Keel.
WHY I SUPPORT CAMINAR
- An LGBTQ Youth Space donor
