Since its inception in 2003, the Rotary Club of Saginaw’s annual Saginaw on Stage concert fundraiser has benefited more than 30 non-profits, social programs and first responder organizations. A total of $300,000 plus reinvested in the community overall.
For his 2023-2024 term, Rotary International’s president asked clubs throughout the world to focus on mental health issues with its programs and fundraisers. He had lost a family member to suicide.
So our Saginaw on Stage committee solicited applications from Saginaw County organizations involved in mental health in one way or another. We received seven very worthy and wide ranging applications and voted to accept the proposal submitted by the Saginaw County Youth Protection Council.
This organization offers emergency shelters for runaways and homeless youth ages 12 to 17 and homeless young parents ages 17-21 and their children as well as substance-abuse prevention programs.
Funds donated from Saginaw on Stage will be used to bring mental health practitioners/therapists to its shelters to provide group-based and individual counseling sessions for residents as well as trauma support training for its staff.
The council has an annual operating budget of $2.2 million and has 44 employees.
Mary Ellen Johnson, the president and CEO of the Saginaw County Youth Protection Council, responded to the announcement:
The Saginaw County Youth Protection Council is very grateful to be selected as the beneficiary for the 2024 Saginaw on Stage fundraising concert. This is a high profile and dynamic event that will allow community members to learn about the importance of addressing the mental needs of runaway and homeless youth.
The council was established in 1962. We provide an extensive continuum of care for runaway and homeless youth and homeless young parent-headed families, as well as substance abuse prevention services.
Last year we provided approximately 7,000 days of care/housing.
With Rotary Club of Saginaw funding we will be able to provide comprehensive mental health support for these runaway and homeless youth and homeless young parents and their children. The youth we serve have experienced complex trauma, many episodes of trauma with wide-ranging and long-lasting impact.
Mental health support will be brought directly to our shelters, thus addressing two of the biggest challenges in the provision of mental health services for homeless youth: timely access to care and effectively engaging youth in care.
The most common factor in the lives of the homeless youth we serve is the lack of a caring adult the youth can turn to for support. There is also a great deal of family conflict. Our LGBTQ youth often report their family was not supportive of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
For his 2023-2024 term, Rotary International’s president asked clubs throughout the world to focus on mental health issues with its programs and fundraisers. He had lost a family member to suicide.
So our Saginaw on Stage committee solicited applications from Saginaw County organizations involved in mental health in one way or another. We received seven very worthy and wide ranging applications and voted to accept the proposal submitted by the Saginaw County Youth Protection Council.
This organization offers emergency shelters for runaways and homeless youth ages 12 to 17 and homeless young parents ages 17-21 and their children as well as substance-abuse prevention programs.
Funds donated from Saginaw on Stage will be used to bring mental health practitioners/therapists to its shelters to provide group-based and individual counseling sessions for residents as well as trauma support training for its staff.
The council has an annual operating budget of $2.2 million and has 44 employees.
Mary Ellen Johnson, the president and CEO of the Saginaw County Youth Protection Council, responded to the announcement:
The Saginaw County Youth Protection Council is very grateful to be selected as the beneficiary for the 2024 Saginaw on Stage fundraising concert. This is a high profile and dynamic event that will allow community members to learn about the importance of addressing the mental needs of runaway and homeless youth.
The council was established in 1962. We provide an extensive continuum of care for runaway and homeless youth and homeless young parent-headed families, as well as substance abuse prevention services.
Last year we provided approximately 7,000 days of care/housing.
With Rotary Club of Saginaw funding we will be able to provide comprehensive mental health support for these runaway and homeless youth and homeless young parents and their children. The youth we serve have experienced complex trauma, many episodes of trauma with wide-ranging and long-lasting impact.
Mental health support will be brought directly to our shelters, thus addressing two of the biggest challenges in the provision of mental health services for homeless youth: timely access to care and effectively engaging youth in care.
The most common factor in the lives of the homeless youth we serve is the lack of a caring adult the youth can turn to for support. There is also a great deal of family conflict. Our LGBTQ youth often report their family was not supportive of their sexual orientation and gender identity.