Your donation is making a difference right now.
Ridgebury Farm Youth Programs
In 2026, we continued and expanded our partnership with Ridgebury Farm in Ridgefield, CT to create programs that help young people get in touch with their feelings and to participate in meaningful mental health experiences in a natural setting that they are able to carry forward and use in other aspects of their lives.
The Equine-Assisted Mental Health Group was a 12-week therapeutic program designed for high school students experiencing symptoms related to anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, social stressors, low confidence, and relational difficulties. The program integrated experiential equine-assisted psychotherapy, grounding practices, psychoeducation, emotional processing, and structured group reflection. The goal was to support emotional regulation, self-awareness, confidence, and interpersonal growth. The Connor Sheehan Fund made it possible for adolescents experiencing significant mental health challenges to access an innovative, evidence-informed therapeutic intervention that emphasized emotional safety, experiential learning, and authentic connection. Over twelve weeks, participants demonstrated meaningful improvements in emotional regulation, self-awareness, communication, relationship-building, and resilience while developing skills that extended beyond the farm.
The Carver: A One-Day Therapeutic Experience at Ridgebury Farm
Over the course of two weeks, Ridgebury Farm welcomed six groups of summer campers from The Carver for a one-day therapeutic farm experience made possible through The Connor Sheehan Fund.
Each visit began with an introduction to Ridgebury Farm and an overview of how they utilize nature and animals within a therapeutic framework to support emotional wellness and relationship-building. Participants were also introduced to The Connor Sheehan Fund and our mission of increasing access to meaningful mental health experiences for young people. They explained that the day's activities would be viewed through a therapeutic lens, helping participants recognize how the skills they practiced on the farm could relate to their everyday lives.
YMCA of The Jersey Shore Expands Counseling and Social Services
For over fifty years, the Counseling and Social Services branch at the YMCA of the Jersey Shore has provided outpatient mental health and substance use counseling for youth, adults, and families. In recent years, they’ve expanded their model to include in-school counseling partnerships, removing barriers to access and reaching students where they are. They currently provide services in approximately one hundred schools across Monmouth and Ocean Counties
Through a targeted grant, The Connor Sheehan Fund gave the YMCA of the Jersey Shore the ability to expand and enhance their CSS programs. The Y was able to transition two per diem clinicians into full-time roles. This expansion eliminated a wait list of over two hundred individuals and increased their capacity by approximately five hundred additional sessions per month. During the grant period, these clinicians provided services to 79 students, delivering a total of 1,086 therapy sessions. One clinician is bilingual in Spanish, which significantly improved their ability to serve Spanish-speaking families in their preferred language.
Bethel CT Schools:
teen Mental Health First Aid
Your donations have allowed the Bethel, CT School District the opportunity to set up two programs: teen Mental Health First Aid training (high school juniors) and Youth Mental Health First Aid for adults over the age of 18.
In addition to funding the certification of two adults in the district through the Mental Health First Aid.organization, the grant allowed Bethel Schools to:
Offer 3 Youth Mental Health First Aid workshops last year
Certify 33 adults in the Bethel community in Youth Mental Health First Aid
Purchase the participant materials for the three adult workshops held throughout last year
Purchase participant materials for the upcoming teen Mental Health First Aid workshops scheduled to be offered at Bethel High School this Fall and Spring.
295 students will receive Teen Mental Health First Aid Training this year.
This level of outreach would not be possible without you.
In the upcoming school year, Bethel Schools will continue to explore additional avenues for reaching both teens and adults regarding teen mental health. They hope to offer a blended version of the Youth Mental Health First Aid program for adults as it is easier for them to complete the course this way given their hectic schedules and multiple responsibilities. They are considering ways of bringing mental health awareness to other schools in the district.