The Braid Foundation

Summer will be here before we know it, and Youth Connect is ready to plan ahead! ☀️

If your organization serves youth and you’re looking to strengthen mental health support you offer this summer, let’s collaborate!

We provide free therapy for youth ages 13-18 in Shelby County and we’d love to partner with programs, camps, churches, and community groups to make sure young people have acesss to support when they need it most!

⭐️ SHARE ⭐️ SHARE ⭐️ SHARE ⭐️ SHARE ⭐️

We’re still offering ‼️FREE‼️therapy services to youth aged 13-18 in Shelby County, TN!

Youth can register here 👉🏾 https://www.thebraidfoundation.org/youth-connect-therapists-1

🌟 Youth Connect Turns ONE! 🌟

A year ago, around Memorial Day Weekend, Youth Connect officially launched as a bold collaboration between The Braid Foundation and the Shelby County Youth & Family Resource Center (YFRC) — and what a year it’s been! Youth Connect makes it possible for youth aged 13-18 to get FREE therapy (12 sessions) as long as they are a Shelby County resident.

In just 12 months, we’ve:

🧠 Provided therapy services to 345 youth across Shelby County
💬 Held over 1,389 therapy sessions with care, compassion, and cultural relevance
🌱 Connected with 5 community partners to bring mental health care to our youth IN their communities. Shout out to Giddy Up, Love Hope Grace, Memphis Public Libraries, Peer Power, The Pursuit Center, & Red Door Urban Ministries‼️

This past week, we gathered for our annual program review, reflecting on everything we’ve accomplished — and everything still ahead. Our hope for this upcoming year? To reach even more youth, continue to reduce wait times, and deepen trust across our communities. 💛

None of this would be possible without our village.

🙏🏾 Thank you to our community partners who opened their doors and welcomed us into their spaces to offer therapy in safe, familiar settings.

💼 Deep gratitude to the local therapists and therapy practices who pledged their time, energy, and hearts to this work. We cannot transform the mental health landscape without a strong, supported mental health workforce. See these amazing practices and individuals below👇🏾

To our Shelby County community — thank you for believing in Youth Connect. This is your program. These are our young people. And this is just the beginning.

Shelby County Youth who are 13-18 years old castill register for FREE therapy here: https://www.thebraidfoundation.org/youth-connect-therapists-1