Collaboration in Action: Vibrant Communities Mental Health Grants Reflect Valley-Wide Generosity and Impact

Mental health challenges continue to touch nearly every corner of the six-county St. Croix Valley region, and a powerful wave of collaboration is driving change.

This spring, the St. Croix Valley Foundation—together with its network of local community affiliates and generous donors—awarded more than $223,000 to 33 nonprofit organizations through its 2025 Vibrant Communities Mental Health Grant Program.

Now in its fifth year, the program has become a cornerstone of the Foundation’s regional response to one of the Valley’s most pressing issues. Since launching in 2021, it has awarded over $830,000 to strengthen mental health support—from schools and clinics to community centers and recovery programs.

“Mental health is not one community’s challenge—it’s all of ours,” said Angie Pilgrim, Vice President of Community Impact at the St. Croix Valley Foundation. “This year’s Vibrant Communities grants are a testament to what’s possible when we come together across sectors, across counties, and alongside our funding partners to support the health and vibrancy of our communities.”

Meeting the Moment with Local Impact

This year’s program drew 44 applications requesting nearly $360,000—underscoring both the growing need and the creativity of nonprofits rising to meet it.

From expanding recovery services in River Falls, to reducing social isolation among older adults in Amery, to offering mental health education in Stillwater, this year’s grant recipients represent a wide spectrum of community-driven solutions.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to change the landscape of recovery in the greater St. Croix Valley area, said Mark Turbak at Hazelden Better Ford Foundation. “Our work meets a critical need to help patients who so often fall through the cracks—those struggling with substance use disorder along with advanced mental health needs. To know we have the support of the St. Croix Valley Foundation, along with its affiliate volunteers, is a clear demonstration that the St. Croix Valley community is right by our side.” 

The grants support a wide range of efforts: early intervention, trauma-informed care, suicide prevention, culturally responsive programming, and expanded access in underserved areas. Many organizations focus on reducing barriers—such as geography, cost, stigma, and language—that can prevent people from accessing support.

“This collaboration allows us to lift up local programs that are rooted in community— and to do it in a way that is truly regional and unified across the St. Croix Valley,” said Tom McCarty of the Stillwater Area Community Foundation, a local affiliate of the St. Croix Valley Foundation.

Hiking the Gandy Dancer Trail in WI, connecting the communities of St. Croix Falls, Centuria, Milltown, Luck, Frederic, Lewis, Siren, Webster and Danbury.

Collective Giving, Greater Reach

Behind every grant is a story of generosity and shared purpose. This year’s funding came from 28 different charitable sources, including local affiliate Vibrant Communities funds, donor advised funds, and matching support from the St. Croix Valley Foundation.

To help meet the full need, St. Croix Valley staff reached out directly to individual fund advisors—raising an additional $70,000 to boost impact across the Valley.

Lester and Carol Jones of Stillwater stepped up to support the grant program without hesitation. “We knew the need was urgent and appreciated the opportunity to support such a critical issue as mental health—especially through local solutions delivered by nonprofits we know and trust. Partnering with the St. Croix Valley Foundation made it easy to have a meaningful impact.”

From Amery to River Falls, Stillwater to Grantsburg, this grant cycle reflects what’s possible when a community comes together for impact. It’s a vivid example of St. Croix Valley Foundation’s mission to grow giving in the Valley, for the Valley, for good.

“I’m so grateful to our nonprofit partners who are stepping up to meet urgent mental health needs—often beyond their core missions,” Pilgrim added. “Their innovative work to combat isolation, reduce stigma, and foster healing is both inspiring and essential—and we’re honored to support them.”

Join us in congratulating and thanking the 2025 Vibrant Communities Mental Health grant recipients:

Organization/Grant Recipient	Grant Description	Grant Amount
Amery Area Community Center	Mental Health Prevention for Older Adults	$5,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin	Expanding Mentorship for Mental Well-Being	$7,000
Canvas Health	Adult Rehabilitation Mental Health Services	$10,000
Community Referral Agency	CRA's Vibrant Minds	$5,000
Elim Lutheran Church	Our Stigma	$10,000
Endeavors Adult Development Center Inc.	Heart of Planting	$2,500
Faith's Lodge	Grief Therapy for Parents and Children	$2,824
FamilyMeans	FamilyMeans Counseling & Therapy Program Support	$10,000
Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley	Home Visiting Mental Health Support	$10,000
Fraser	Mental Health Services: Access, Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, Management across the Lifespan	$2,000
Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation	Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Hudson Recovery Center	$10,000
Interfaith Caregivers of Polk County, Inc.	Neighbors Helping Neighbors	$3,000
Kinnic Falls Inc.	Expanding Mental Health Therapy Access for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Recovery	$10,000
Kinship of Polk County	Youth Mentoring Support	$2,500
Lakes Center for Youth and Families	Equitable Mental Health Services	$7,000
Lost Creek Ranch: Equine Therapy & Horse Rescue	Ride On: Mobile Mini Equine Therapy & Pathways to Mental Wellness	$3,608
Mental Health Task Force of Polk County	Thriving Together:  Community Programs for Mental Wellbeing	$10,000
Moms and Dads against Meth, Inc.	Butterfly House Transitional Sober House for Women	$1,300
New Richmond School District	Bridges of Belonging: Strengthening Community, Staff, and Students	$7,102
Northwest Passage, Ltd.	PassageWay: Building Continuity in Community Mental Health	$1,250
Onyx Foundation, Inc	Kickstart to Recovery	$2,000
Salvation Army St. Croix County/Grace Place	Permanent Supportive Housing	$10,000
Somerset School District	Growing Somerset’s School-Based Programming	$4,400
St. Croix Valley Food Alliance	Wellbeing & Waterways: Supporting Farmer Health	$10,000
St Croix Valley Restorative Services	Minds Matter: Supporting Student Well-being	$10,000
Stillwater Area Community Education	Lifting Youth through Nurturing Communities and Schools (LYNCS)	$10,000
St. Mary's Health Clinics	Expanding Mental Health Equity in MN-WI Border Communities	$10,000
StoryArk	My Story, Your Story, Our Story: Storytelling for Community Care	$7,094
Tickets for Kids Charities	St. Croix Valley Vibrant Communities Project	$7,500
Turningpoint for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence	Mental Health and Wellness Services for Victims of Intimate Partner Violence	$10,000
United Way St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys	Empowering Resilient Communities Through Mental Health Training	$10,000
Wild Rivers Habitat for Humanity, Inc.	Home, Health & Wellness Pilot	$2,500
Youth Service Bureau	Youth Prevention and Early-Intervention Behavioral Health Services	$10,000