Mind4Youth

Written By: Michael Cheng, Director of Public Relations

Over 70% of people worldwide struggling with mental health lack the resources necessary to receive help. Although this is often overlooked, here at Mind4Youth, we take this issue with a heavy heart. Beginning as just a desire to help, our founders created the HeartCare program, an initiative to distribute mental health resources to underserved youth in need. 

How it Started

In the form of small personalized kits, the HeartCare program aims to serve as care-packages for youth struggling with mental health. Although the program’s impact has reached thousands today, it only dates back to just a year.

Starting on June 15th, 2024, Mind4Youth partnered up with Raising Cane’s, Lush Cosmetics, and BetterHelp to officially establish the program and come up with heartfelt kits used today. Inside each kit, Mind4Youth volunteers attentively put in: 

• Self-Care Products: Soap bars and bath bombs from Lush

• Awareness tools: ‘Stop the Stigma’ rubber ducks, positivity stickers, and mental health wristbands

• Therapeutic resources: Coloring items, games, and slime
  
• Professional resources: Therapy vouchers from BetterHelp for 3 months of free therapy

From this initial launch, Mind4Youth assembled 250 kits, which were distributed to underprivileged youth in the Bay Area. 

How did it grow

Following the program’s initial success, Mind4Youth received two new sponsors: Youth Service America and AmeriCorp. With their support, Mind4Youth was able to launch its second HeartCare event in August 2024, creating over 850 kits for underprivileged schools. 

Soon to follow, Mind4Youth received yet another sponsorship from iLoveToCreate, which aided in the creation of nearly 700 kits in the same August of 2024. By this point, the HeartCare program was developing like wildfire and would soon expand its outreach in collaboration with the following organizations:

• Nov 30th 2024: TD Ready, Canada & Mind4Youth create 100 kits

• Dec 29th 2024:  & Mind4Youth partner up to launch a HeartCare initiative in Illinois

• Jan 11th 2025: Karma For Cara Foundation & Cornell’s National Contribution Project partnered up with Mind4Youth to make over 500 kits

• Feb 22 2025: Howard University’s Model of the Mecca & Mind4Youth partnered up to create over 200 kits

• Feb 23rd 2025: Mind4Youth hosted a HeartCare event to craft over 600 kit

By the end of the program’s initiative in July 2025, Mind4Youth had created over 3,500 HeartCare kits for underprivileged youth in hospitals, schools, and low-income communities. With over 21,000 items donated and 1,800 therapy sessions funded, Mind4Youth extends its sincere gratitude to everyone who was involved. 

What We Think of It

Although HeartCare has been able to extend its help to many children across the globe, there is still more work that needs to be done. When it comes to supporting youth struggling with mental health, there can truly never be too much support. Through this HeartCare program, Mind4Youth hopes to have made a difference for those struggling with mental health. The organization remains dedicated in continuing this vital work through expanding its reach to communities around the world.