Mental health matters to everyone. This May we hosted our annual Stories of Hope Breakfast, where we heard powerful stories of supporting mental health in the greater community.

Strengthening Mental Heath Connect’s Core Functions—now for Community Health

To do our part in addressing community mental health, Mental Health Connect is strengthening our three core functions, Collaborate, Educate, Navigate, through two major enhancements designed for accessibility, personalization, and community impact.

This is how we strengthen mental health support across entire communities—within but also beyond individual congregations:

1. New Part-Time Support Role

A relational guide who MHC collaborative faith communities can call, text, or email for realtime support as they build and grow their mental health ministries to respond to needs within and beyond their buildings. This role ensures no community has to navigate addressing mental health alone.

2. New Online Tool for Community Mental Health

A shared digital space that helps MHC faith communities understand what collaborative communities are experiencing and respond together. Through this tool, MHC faith communities will be able to:

  • Connect with nearby partners using an interactive regional map;

  • Host hybrid events using loaned media kits; 

  • Access and share educational programming from a continually growing library;

  • See local mental health trends through simple, evidence-based needs assessments;

  • Navigate resources more easily, including a new, on-demand “Navigation Light” experience supported by our professional navigators.

To make this vision a reality, we have a generous and time-sensitive opportunity—

A Matching Grant That Doubles Your Impact!

The Southside Legacy Fund has already invested $50,000 to help launch this project. And now, as their final major gift before sunsetting their organization, they’ve offered a $25,000 matching grant to help unlock the full vision:

  • Personalized support for faith communities;

  • A statewide collaborative tool for community mental health;

  • More accessible navigation services for individuals and families;

  • Stronger, more connected responses to mental health needs across Minnesota.

This is a chance to build something lasting, practical, and deeply needed!

When mental health support is accessible, stigma decreases.

When communities respond together, people feel less alone.

When faith communities are equipped, neighborhoods become stronger, safer, and more connected.

Your gift doesn’t just support a program….

It strengthens the mental health of entire communities, including the people you love. Every gift moves us closer to a Minnesota where mental health support is woven into the fabric of community life!