Local nonprofit organization COR, an innovator in addressing youth mental health in Atlanta, today announced it has been awarded a $50,000 Kindness in Community Fund grant from Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation and fashion retailer Cotton On. The funding was made possible through an innovative product partnership with the Cotton On Foundation where 100% of proceeds from products designed by the collaboration were donated. The Kindness in Community Fund grant is among the largest funding efforts to provide direct support for youth mental health across the world.

“As we continue to serve trauma-impacted students and families marginalized by poverty and race-based educational inequities, we are grateful to receive this funding from the Born This Way and Cotton On foundations,” said Lisa Moultrie, COR Board Chair. “Trauma - homelessness, child maltreatment, domestic violence, sexual assault and exploitation - impacts young people in many ways. The Kindness in Community Fund grant will allow us to enhance access to services for families with low income.” 

COR operates school-based resource centers, increasing access to prevention training and behavioral health care for middle and high school students marginalized by poverty and race-based inequities. Since 2019 COR has been embedded within Carver STEAM Academy, one of the least-resourced high schools in Georgia. Current programming includes basic needs, wrap-around services, behavioral health, and prevention education. Based on requests from school administrators, COR is now preparing to expand to Price Middle School, which is also within the same cluster as Carver STEAM.

"The grant provides a tremendous opportunity for us to expand our work," said Jennifer Henn, Executive Director and Co-founder of COR. "Our focus is on fostering meaningful relationships within our student community to ensure each young person thrives in school and beyond by offering access to mental health and wraparound services for families that are free, on campus, and discreet. Plus, the award is extra special because the advocacy of our students helped to make it a reality."

Funding will enable COR to launch services at Price Middle School and expand behavioral health interventions to all students at Carver STEAM, increasing from 176 students served currently to 597 served by the end of 2024. Through the addition of a Licensed Professional Counselor, COR’s three-pronged direct service approach will be implemented at both schools, with all programs supporting the intersectional well-being of historically underserved students and families.