Year Three of RADical Health
We hope you are enjoying this beautiful autumn weather and have stayed healthy over the last few months. RADical Hope entered the fall school semester with energy and urgency, driven by demand across the country for more – and better – resources. Our priority remains expanding RADical Health, our groundbreaking wellness program, to schools and organizations across the country.
- Access for all: RADical Hope fully funds the program for every partner to eliminate any barriers to access.
- We have invested more than $5 million in this first-of-its-kind program since we launched it in 2020.
Meeting Student Where They Are
RADical Hope and Prairie View A&M announce Partnership with Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women to Expand Wellness Programs to First-Year Students.
“Health and educational services are more limited in Black communities, and programs like RADical Hope will help us bridge this gap throughout the U.S,” said Dina Powell McCormick, Global Head of Sustainability and Inclusive Growth at Goldman Sachs. “It’s a privilege to fund an incredible program at a school that has a strong history of serving Black women.”
- Go Deeper: Read more about our partnership with Prairie View and Goldman Sachs.
RADical Health Grows Its Impact
RADical Health equips young people with tools and resources to build resilience and make connections before they reach a crisis point. The peer model provides a safe and structured opportunity for participants to engage with skill-based resources, connect with one another, and share their own experiences and challenges.
- The big picture: Student engagement is stronger than ever. With COVID restrictions on campuses lifted, participants are grateful for the opportunity to connect in person. In this second year, we have also seen many former participants take on leadership roles as Guides.
Over the course of this academic year, we will partner with more than 25 schools reaching thousands of students. We are also growing our relationships with organizations outside the school structure to reach young adults wherever they are.
- This fall, our school partners include: Amherst College, Delaware State University, Drew University, Emmanuel College, Gonzaga University, Metropolitan State University of Denver, New York University, Pace University, Prairie View A&M University, Wesleyan University.
Stay Tuned: Look out for exciting partnership announcements next month that will accelerate the impact of our reach.
A Message From Aaron Taylor
What’s new: Aaron Taylor, NFL Super Bowl Champion, College Football Hall of Fame Inductee, Mental Health Advocate, has been our new partner, champion and advocate.
Sneak Peak: Our new “inspirational interview” with Aaron anchors Week 4 of RADical Health as part of this fall’s program enhancements.
“Our attributes and values, who we are as people, no matter what it is we’re doing, are often the things I lean back on whenever what ‘it’ is, isn’t necessarily going the way I want.”
Spotlight: Pace University
We are proud of our ongoing work with Pace University, whose leadership has demonstrated the impact a campus culture of mental health support can have on reaching students.
- Jerry McKinstry, Senior Director of Student Affairs, and Dr. Sue Maxam, Assistant Provost for Special Projects and Retention Initiatives, will be presenting RADical Health at the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) 2022 Annual Conference.
- What they’re saying: Their keynote, Addressing Student Mental Health Issues on Campus – Pace University and The RADical Hope Foundation, will introduce RADical Health to hundreds of potential new school partners.
A Conversation With Katie Hood
One Love’s Katie Hood: RADical Health participants report that relationships of any kind are an important area of interest. We work to elevate resources from various organizations to meet the needs of our participants.