10/22/2026
In 2022, we joined forces with the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas, Metrocare Services, the Grant Halliburton Foundation, and Momentous Institute to form Project Thrive, a coalition created in response to the growing mental health crisis affecting youth in our communities.
Earlier this week, Project Thrive hosted a luncheon at the Center for BrainHealth to share findings from the second year of its pilot program, YES YOU CAN! The initiative brings together clinical counselors, youth program management specialists, and social-emotional learning experts to develop a practical, evidence-informed approach to mental wellness that can be integrated into YMCA summer camps and reach children where they are. Launched in summer 2025, the pilot expanded in summer 2026 to serve more youth across our community.
This summer, YES YOU CAN! delivered mental wellness activities to 1,725 campers across 12 YMCA camps and provided expert-led training to 172 counselors. Activities addressed critical topics including emotional regulation, brain health, communication, healthy relationships, resilience, stress, and anxiety.
The pilot demonstrates the potential to develop a scalable model by equipping counselors with practical tools and integrating these activities into familiar youth settings, we can help children build the skills they need to navigate life's challenges before those challenges become crises. The goal is to build on what we have learned through the pilot and expand YES YOU CAN! into a YMCA-led program across our summer camps by 2028, reaching over 6,000 children.
Help us bring mental wellness support to more children. Your donation to Project Thrive will help us refine, expand, and scale a prevention model that reaches youth meeting children where they are and giving them the tools to thrive. igfn.us/f/6acr/n
