Champions for Children is a network of local women raising awareness and funding to address the mental health crisis of today's children. Initiated during the pandemic, the group fully launched in 2024 as a 501(c)(3) membership organization devoted to de-stigmatizing mental health through educational programs and improving access to important therapeutic resources. Since its founding in 2020, the group has raised more than $1 million to provide services and grants locally. 

Stroll met with Champions for Children board members Paula Widerlite, Maureen Dymond, Colleen Brown, Lynne Carbone, and Nicole Barrett at Nicole's Spring Valley home to discuss the group's work. A synopsis of the discussion follows, including an invitation to join them in helping raise awareness and funds to address children's mental health needs while fostering friendships and community along the way.

Nationally youth are experiencing increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide; often the suffering is unheard or undiagnosed, resulting in insufficient care and treatment.

Our communities in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area are no different. Whether caused by social media, performance pressure, the loss of social connection throughout the pandemic, or other trauma, the toll on the mental health of our future generations is real and must be healed. 

This is why a committed network of women have come together to inspire, influence, and leverage our experience and relationships to move from awareness to action by raising funds to support organizations that deliver these services. Our vision is world where every child has access to the resources they need to grow, learn and thrive and where every parent has a place to turn to learn about and access the services available.

Since its beginnings in 2020, Champions for Children has held three virtual educational symposiums, and several in-person events. One featured clinician Dr. Bruce Perry, who co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing. Another, last November, featured child psychiatrist Dr. Marissa Leslie, pediatrician Dr. Claire Boogaard, and Congressman Jamie Raskin speaking on the topic of Social Wellness for the Social Media Generation: Helping Kids Thrive in a Hyperconnected World. Our first Giving Tuesday campaign resulted in $16,000 raised.

In April we gathered for the first spring walk and talk. School-based mental health counseling and holistic student well-being approaches were presented. 

This Fall we selected October 10th, World Mental Health Day, for an event at the Mansion at Strathmore at which we raised more than $60,000 to fund three organizations that are making a real difference in children's lives:

--Adventist Health Care Lourie Center for Children’s Social and Emotional Wellness provides access to specialized early childhood mental health and emergency psychiatric care for high-risk children. Specifically, proceeds will go towards emergency psychiatric screenings and 24-hour on call support for children ages 4-11 who are in crisis, including safety planning coordination with parents, caregivers, and school personnel. Over the years our funding has increased and retained clinicians at the center and helped remove 46 children and families from the waiting list with 548 evaluation and therapy sessions provided since 2022.

--Morgan’s Message strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. Funds will support materials, peer-to-peer monthly meetings of all sports at over 1,700 high schools and college campuses as well as the production of two seasons of the podcast and blog, The Mental Matchup series. 

--Generation Hope, which helps teen parents and their children achieve economic mobility through education by providing tuition assistance, career services, early childhood education support, and individualized and flexible mental health services.

We are women passionate about children’s health and wellness who come together to raise our voices to ensure every child has access to needed resources in their communities, schools, and homes. Many new friendships have formed as we work together to support children’s mental health. 

Benefits of Membership:

Our volunteer board of directors represent many backgrounds, experiences and interests and coalesce around our common mission of raising awareness and funds to address children’s mental health crisis. We believe, as the World Health Organization stipulates, that without mental health, there is no health. We pride ourselves on moving from awareness to action. 

If you are looking to do something -- Join us! We get things done.

For more information about Champions for Children and how to get involved, visit www.championsforchildrendc.org.