Prevention Institute and the Movember Foundation are pleased to announce the 16 initial sites for the Making Connections for Mental Health and Well-being Among Men and Boys in the U.S. Initiative. Over the last several months, Prevention Institute and the Movember Foundation have been working together to forge a groundbreaking approach that emphasizes community-level strategies to improve the mental health and well-being of men and boys in the United States. Initially, the effort will prioritize those who have a particularly high need for community-level attention to mental well-being such as military/veteran communities/families and boys and men of color and their families.
Planning grants were extended to 16 sites in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Florence, South Carolina; Canton, Connecticut; New Orleans, Louisiana; Honolulu, Hawaii; Tacoma, Washington; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago and Kankakee, Illinois; Los Angeles, San Diego, and Stockton, California; Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. These communities will go through a strategic planning process with technical assistance provided by Prevention Institute, with the goal of creating a robust community of practice for improving mental health and well-being for males. This work will emphasize how social connection and mental health link up with community well-being and resilience.
The selected community sites are diverse in geographic location and population of focus:
• Twelve of the communities will focus on supporting boys and men of color, including African-American, Latino, and Asian and Pacific Islander populations.
• Two sites will work with urban Native American and tribal communities.
• Two will develop strategies for reaching immigrant populations.
• A number of the sites have included military service members, veterans, and their families within their population of focus, with three of these focusing exclusively on this high-need population.
The organizations engaging in these community partnerships through the initiative are multisector, and include nonprofits and community-based organizations, Native American tribal organizations, health departments and other government agencies, and institutions of higher education. Many include youth councils or youth development organizations, and several include Federally Qualified Health Centers within the partnership.
Prevention Institute and the Movember Foundation are pleased that the funding announcement resonated with so many local communities throughout the nation: more than 225 communities across the country applied to be part of the initial cohort of Making Connections Communities. The need for local solutions of building resiliency among men was evident in the content of the applications. One applicant articulated their community’s strengths as “Cultural heritage, intergenerational wisdom, teaching, tradition and spirituality are all resources from which to draw, reinforce and celebrate.”
The 16 selected organizations will gather in Oakland, CA on Oct. 21-23 for the inaugural Making Connections Convening. To learn more about the Making Connections for Mental Well-being Initiative and communities please visit our website.
About the Movember Foundation
The Movember Foundation is a global charity raising funds and awareness for men’s health. These funds deliver breakthrough research and support services to allow men to live longer, healthier, happier lives. Since 2003, millions have joined the men’s health movement, raising more than $650 million and funding over 1,000 programs through impact investments, focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity.
The Foundation runs awareness and fundraising activities year-round, with the annual Movember campaign in November being globally recognized for its fun and innovative approach to raising money and getting men to take action for their health. During Movember, we challenge men to grow a moustache or to make a commitment to get active and MOVE, both of which are about real action for health and are done to spark conversation and raise vital funds and awareness.
The Foundation’s vision is to have an everlasting impact on men’s health.
Movember is fully accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and for the past three years, has been named a Top 100 best NGO by The Global Journal. For more information please visit Movember.com. Movember is a registered 501(c)(3) charity.
