Boys & Girls Clubs of America, in collaboration with Kohl’s, hosted a mental health panel and discussion about challenges young people face, featuring actor, musician and dancer Jacob Latimore and youth from Atlanta-area Boys & Girls Clubs. The event on June 29 culminated National Boys & Girls Club Week celebrations and provided a platform for young people to engage in open, authentic conversations about mental health challenges and successes experienced within different communities.

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London Reeves, Sr. Director of Teen Strategy Execution at Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Rachel Kalukango-Harris, Director of Trauma Informed Practice at Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Jada Rogers, Site Director at At-Promise Southwest Boys & Girls Club; Ariana K, Youth of the Year from James T. Anderson Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta; and Willow R, the 2022 Southwest Youth of the Year and BGCA intern join Jacob Latimore, actor from the hit SHOWTIME series "The Chi" for an authentic conversation about mental health in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Kohl's. (Photo: Todd Kirkland/Boys & Girls Clubs of America)

The mental health panel, which was live streamed and is available on Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s YouTube channel, gave attendees the opportunity to meet and talk with local teens about the importance of wellness, while learning from the critically acclaimed actor of “The Chi” about his own experiences and passion for mental health awareness.

“Everyone has mental health — what Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Kohl’s are doing to foster discussions on mental health within communities is truly admirable,” Latimore says. “Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s goal to create a safe and intimate environment where young people can openly and honestly discuss their feelings about the issues they’re facing represents a paradigm shift in our culture. With everything going on in the world, it’s easy for young people to feel overwhelmed. If they’re feeling anxious, stuck, alone, depressed or just lost, they should know there are people here to help them move forward.”

Kohl's, a longtime partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, has played a pivotal role in providing support for trauma-informed training and facilitating open discussions about mental health among teens around the country. With a focus on positive social and emotional development, Kohl's is working with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to ensure Club staff have the resources, training and tools they need to help this generation reach their full potential.

“We know it's important for kids and teens to know they’re not alone in feeling their emotions,” said Kate Endries, National Director of Trauma Informed Practice at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Together, we can normalize talking about mental health and help young people navigate their emotions in healthy, lasting ways.”

"Mental health is an important issue for us all and a cornerstone of Kohl’s philanthropic work, including through our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America,” said Tara Geiter, Kohl’s director of community relations. “We're proud to support events like this to help provide more resources to youth nationwide and raise awareness for the challenges kids are facing today."

The impact of this mental health discussion panel offers a platform for open dialogue, reducing stigma and encouraging kids and teens to share their experiences and learn from mental health professionals. Ultimately, these discussions foster a culture of empathy and understanding with the goal of empowering our youth with the knowledge and tools to manage their mental well-being effectively.

For more information on the partnership between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Kohl’s please visit BGCA.org.

About Boys & Girls Club Week

Celebrated since 1941, National Boys & Girls Club Week recognizes the invaluable service Clubs bring to communities, sharing how great futures start at Boys & Girls Clubs. National Boys & Girls Club Week, June 24-28, 2024, promotes the fact that while Clubs operate on a local community level, they are also part of a growing national footprint, and together we do whatever it takes to build great futures for America’s youth.

Boys & Girls Club Week is a time to celebrate our Clubs and Boys & Girls Clubs of America as an organization that does whatever it takes to provide children and youth with a safe place, caring mentors, and life enhancing programs.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,400 Clubs serve more than 3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and X.

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