Community Partner: Washburn Center for Children
Community Partner: Washburn Center for Children
One out of five Minnesota children will experience mental health challenges, but only 20% will get the help they need. Washburn Center for Children believes a child's mental health is as important as their physical health, and for more than 135 years, the nonprofit has served as Minnesota's leading children's mental health center.
Caring for a wide variety of needs, Washburn Center helps kids reach their potential no matter their condition. Their compassionate child therapists help children develop the skills they need to succeed at home, in school and in their communities. Through dedicated resources and therapy services, Washburn also ensures that caregivers have the support they need to help kids who are hurting on the inside.
As the state's leading expert in childhood trauma, Washburn Center for Children has developed a nationally recognized model for treating high-risk children. The resulting research is used by therapists all across the nation. The Center also provides quality assessment and treatment for children that incorporates evidence-based practices and new research, all in an effort to help children grow into healthy, productive adults.
"Right now, we all have a mental health story," says Amy Pfarr Walker, Chief Advancement Officer at Washburn Center for Children. "The emotional well-being of youth and families is incredibly fragile after a tremendous amount of isolation, loss and trauma associated with the [COVID-19] pandemic."
COVID-19 created a "universal trauma" that impacted everyone's mental health regardless of race, ethnicity or cultural identity. With grant support from Kowalski's, Washburn Center is growing its services to better meet the influx of need our community is currently experiencing, including kids impacted by their caregivers' own pandemic-related stress and untreated mental health challenges.
In just the last two years, Washburn has addressed this community's growing needs in four key ways:
- Providing 4,000 children and their families with 64,000 hours of compassionate, therapeutic care to address the trauma, anxiety and depression caused by the pandemic.
- Expanding its unique stabilization services to provide crisis coverage in 11 counties.
- Broadening its partnership with Allina Health from three to 15 hospitals to bring stabilizing care to families leaving the ER.
- Supporting a 56% increase in the number of families that have needed help paying for these services.
Kowalski's Markets and the Kowalski's 4 Kids Foundation are proud to support Washburn Center for Children. You can learn more, get involved and donate at washburn.org.
