Mental Health & Wellbeing

Vibrant mental health and wellbeing are rooted in hope and aspiration, belonging and connection, trust, dignity, safety, and a sense of control over one’s future. These Pillars of Wellbeing help people engage and reduce chronic stress, while supporting communities to build resilience and flourish. By contrast, experiences including exclusion and othering, isolation, systemic racism, displacement, or economic insecurity can erode both collective and individual resilience.

Our approach understands mental health and wellbeing as shaped by social and structural conditions, not only individual factors. With attention to the Pillars of Wellbeing, we focus on shifting systems, policies, and narratives to strengthen protective factors and reduce community-level risks. This includes supporting community-led strategies that foster resilience, connection, and healing in communities most affected by marginalization. Grounded in equity and cultural and experiential knowledge, we work with community collaboratives— residents and youth, local organizations, public systems, and other partners—to plan and implement upstream strategies. We provide training, technical assistance, and facilitation to help communities advance changes—both immediate and systemic—that support mental health and wellbeing.

Our work contributes to stronger social connection, reduced community stressors, and environments that affirm collective flourishing. These efforts expand community capacity, strengthen multisector collaboration, and support policies and investments that promote healing and equitable access to opportunity. Over time, this leads to communities where people feel supported, connected, and able to shape the conditions that positively influence mental health and wellbeing.