Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Youth-Led Grants Support Mental Health and Anti-Violence

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) announced several youth-led grants in support of ongoing mental health and anti-violence efforts throughout the region it serves. The grants come from a $100,000 pool of money initiated and overseen by CFSEM’s Youth Advisory Committee after the shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021.

Youth group.

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) announced several youth-led grants in support of ongoing mental health and anti-violence efforts throughout the region it serves.

According to a CFSEM press release, the grants come from a $100,000 pool of money initiated and overseen by CFSEM’s Youth Advisory Committee after the Oxford shooting in November 2021. The purpose of this Youth-to-Youth Community Solutions Fund is to help southeast Michigan schools tackle mental health, gun violence and school safety.

“Our hearts are heavy for the students and families impacted by February 13’s shooting at Michigan State University,” Richard (Ric) DeVore, president of CFSEM said. “The three students who so tragically lost their lives are from communities we serve here in southeast Michigan.”

Previous grantmaking from the Youth-to-Youth Community Solutions Fund supported youth-led initiatives within schools throughout southeast Michigan. CFSEM granted $10,000 to Oxford Public Schools after the shooting and $75,000 to Common Ground for its All for Oxford Resiliency Center.

“All youth in our region have experienced so much over the last few years, including COVID-19, the Oxford High School shooting, and ongoing threats of violence in their schools. They deserve the fundamental right to feel safe in school — to learn in a place where they can focus and maintain strong connections with friends. This remains a critical time for young people and families to have support, and to listen to youth about the change that they want to see around gun violence and school safety.”

This round of grantmaking will support CFSEM’s nonprofit partners that work to supplement school capacity including:

  • Congress of Communities: A culturally relevant mental health program for youth in southwest Detroit, in partnership with local healing practitioners.
  • Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy: An expanded afterschool wellness program for students.
  • Clarence Phillips Ascend Organization, Inc.: Youth mental health and anti-violence training programs in Pontiac.
  • Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities: Youth-led distribution of 345 multi-lingual mental health kits across 23 selected schools in Wayne County.

Want more?

Learn more about CFSEM’s work in response to the Oxford tragedy.

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