A Youth Mental Health Philanthropic Venture Fund

The Wellness Classroom was founded in Fall 2022 to address the alarming and pervasive mental health crisis among New York City’s public school students. The organization identifies, funds, and evaluates prevention-focused mental health programs in New York City schools by supporting innovative models that meet the real needs of students, educators, and communities. By serving as a trusted intermediary among funders, schools, and service providers, we catalyze smarter investment in mental health that leads to better outcomes for young people.

The Problem

The youth mental health crisis is an “inner pandemic” and one of the most urgent public health issues facing the U.S. Alarming data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reveal:

  • 40% of students report persistent sadness or hopelessness

  • Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10–24

  • 1 in 8 NYC students is homeless; 73% live in poverty

  • Students in poverty are 2–3x more likely to develop mental health conditions

  • Many NYC schools have ~ 1 social worker for every 3,000 students

Youth mental health represents a multi-trillion-dollar issue that is underfunded, misunderstood, and urgently in need of innovative solutions.

Grantees

Leadership

  • Sarah Holloway

    MPA

    Co-Founder of The Wellness Classroom and Faculty Director, School of International and Publics Affairs, Columbia University

  • Eric Weingartner

    MPA

    Co-Founder of The Wellness Classroom and President and CEO of The Overbrook Foundation

  • Anke Ehlert

    MBA

    Director of The Wellness Classroom

  • David Adams

    MSEd

    CEO of Urban Assembly

  • Prerna Arora

    PhD

    Associate Professor of Psychology and Education in the Department of Health and Behavior Studies at Teachers College, Columbia University

  • Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

    PhD

    Co-founder and CSO at Arcade Therapeutics; Professor at CUNY

  • Angela Diaz

    MD, PhD, MPH

    Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

  • John MacPhee

    MBA, MPH

    CEO of The Jed Foundation

  • Michael Preston

    PhD

    Executive Director, Joan Ganz Cooney Center @ Sesame Workshop

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