The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is excited to announce that Walmart Giving, the Walmart Community Grant Team, and Facility #1542, Gaylord Walmart has selected YAC to receive a $1,300 grant to support the work they’re doing within our community to help with mental health.
During the 2021 Youth Needs Survey, the biggest issue community youth felt was impacting their lives and the lives of those around them was mental health. The Youth Advisory Committee decided to step up and explore what could be done. They researched and designed a PSA to play at the movie theater and on social media platforms, along with creating a poster on “6 Tips to Help Teens Cope with Stress”. These posters are hung at all area schools, the Sportsplex, area libraries and the bowling alley.
“In the past year, the Youth Advisory Committee has worked hard to advocate for the youth who are struggling with mental health. With the help of this generous grant, we look to reach even more youth, help to provide solutions and information on where to find them.” noted Elizabeth Pallarito, YAC President.
This grant will help support eight more months of playing the PSA at the Gaylord movie theater. The committee also feels that anyone of any age can use their 6 tips to cope with stress: Get some sleep, focus on your strengths, do things that make you happy, engage in physical activity, unplug from technology, and talk with someone.
With this grant, YAC is part of a long history of Walmart’s commitment to giving back to the communities where they operate. In fact, Mrs. Helen Walton used to say, “It’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.”
