The Steve Fund Celebrates a Decade of Youth Mental Health Innovation, Reaching 5 Million+ People Through Culturally Responsive Mental Health Solutions

The leading youth mental health nonprofit transforms mental health support through partnerships with higher education institutions, youth-serving nonprofits, leading mental health organizations and corporate partners

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Steve Fund, a leading nonprofit dedicated to promoting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people from underserved and under-resourced communities, celebrates 10 years of transformative impact.

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For ten years, the Steve Fund has championed a simple but powerful belief: every young person deserves the mental health and emotional support needed to thrive. Guided by this vision, the organization has evolved into a national force for change, building a robust "community of action" that brings together higher education institutions, employers, families, and mental health professionals. Grounded in cultural responsiveness and committed to transforming the environments that shape young people's well-being, the Steve Fund has created a movement dedicated to ensuring no young person faces mental health challenges alone.

Decade of Measurable Impact:

• 250 partner institutions and organizations providing training and mental health support
• Over 1.125 million students impacted through programs, workshops, and listening sessions
• 66 colleges and universities engaged in the Excellence in Mental Health on Campus initiative
• 5+ million people reached through the Family Corner digital platform
• 465,000+ people engaged through the Workforce Transitions Initiative since 2020
• 15 research projects completed on youth and family mental health nationwide
• 11,000+ crisis conversations facilitated through partnership with Crisis Text Line, saving 46 lives

The organization has pioneered culturally responsive approaches to mental health through signature initiatives, including the Equity in Mental Health Framework, the Young, Gifted & Resilient conference series hosted at ten leading universities, and the recently launched My Digital Sanctuary platform, which has engaged 3.4 million young people since spring 2025.

"The Steve Fund's first decade laid a compelling foundation built on research, collaboration, and a belief in the promise of every student," said Stephanie Bell-Rose, President of the Steve Fund. "We remain steadfast in our mission to improve mental health for the next generation of leaders."

Meeting the Current Moment

As schools, families, and communities face unprecedented pressures and resource cuts, the Steve Fund is scaling solutions that are youth-guided, culturally responsive, and family-centered. The organization continues to leverage technology advances to expand access and enhance engagement while maintaining human connection at the core of its work.

Recent initiatives include groundbreaking research partnerships with the United Negro College Fund on HBCU mental health, a national student survey with Harris Poll, and the Mental Health and Persistence Initiative focused on supporting first-generation college students.

"By really centering the unique experience of students of different backgrounds and developing a way of communicating that to a wider audience, including faculty, administrators, families, policymakers, and mental health professionals, the Steve Fund helped put this issue on the map and create a community of action," said Dr. Annelle Primm, Senior Medical Director. "The work of The Steve Fund matters now more than ever. We are equipping youth and communities with resilience strategies, helping them thrive despite uncertainty, and strengthening the protective factors that support mental health and emotional well-being."

Read The Steve Fund's 10-year report: https://stevefund.org/10-year-report/

About The Steve Fund: 

The Steve Fund is a leading nonprofit organization focused on transforming educational, organizational, and workplace environments to support the mental health and emotional well-being of young people. Building knowledge and capacity among organizations serving young people is critical to the Steve Fund's Mission. The Steve Fund offers various solutions to assist colleges, universities, nonprofits, and workplaces in enhancing their capacity to promote mental health and emotional well-being among young people.

For more information, visit https://stevefund.org/

Media Contact: Joe Wiggins, [email protected]

SOURCE The Steve Fund