Each month $1 from every bottle of our Sanctuary Collection goes to a different non-profit organization that supports human rights and environmental justice. This month, $1 from every bottle goes directly to Black women & girls to access therapy sessions through @thelovelandfoundation.
We recently connected with the Director of Programs at The Loveland Foundation to learn more about the organization's upcoming goals, like providing 50,000 hours of free therapy sessions and creating a scholarship program for women of color who are interested in pursuing mental health as a career. Follow the link in our bio to read our blog all about it.
Tell us about the work your organization does and the programs you offer/run?
-
The Loveland Foundation has been happily busy growing our Therapy Fund, which provides financial support to Black women and girls seeking therapy nationwide. We’ve also been expanding to provide additional wellness resources to our participants, and professional development opportunities to therapists in our network.
How did you get involved, and what is your role in the organization?
-
I am the Director of Programs with The Loveland Foundation. My professional background is in program development and implementation for nonprofits, so I enthusiastically answered the call to align and grow with an organization that’s doing such important work.
What is the core mission or value of the organization?
-
The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing. We are becoming the ones we’ve been waiting for.
How did it begin?
-
The Loveland Foundation was established in 2018 by Rachel Cargle in response to her widely successful birthday wish fundraiser, Therapy for Black Women and Girls. Her enthusiastic social media community raised over $250,000, which made it possible for Black women and girls nationally to receive therapy support. Black women and girls deserve access to healing, and that healing will impact generations.
The Loveland Foundation is the official continuation of this effort to bring opportunity and healing to communities of color, and especially to Black women and girls. Through fellowships, residency programs, listening tours, and more, ultimately we hope to contribute to both the empowerment and the liberation of the communities we serve.
What are your goals for the coming year(s)?
-
-
Provide 50,000 hrs of Free Therapy sessions
-
Create a scholarship program for BIPOC folks who are interested in going into the mental health field
-
Continue to highlight amazing BIPOC wellness professionals throughout our social programming
-
Continue to economically support BIPOC therapists while supporting Black women and girls on their mental health journey. We hope that this will create generational impact.
-
We will be creating an online portal that will allow our participants to communicate with one another, have access to curated wellness videos and exclusive wellness experiences.
Where is your current focus/events coming up
-
October 10th is World Mental Health Day! Please be on the lookout for social programming via our Instagram.
What is the #1 takeaway you want our viewers and customers to know?
-
There is a stigma around mental health particularly in the BIPOC community and The Loveland Foundation is here to help destigmatize mental health through providing therapy support, wellness programs through social media programming, group therapy sessions, therapist professional development and is working to provide a scholarship fund.
What is the biggest challenge that has shaped the organization?
-
The biggest challenge for any nonprofit is funding. The Loveland Foundation is here to provide therapy for Black women and therapy is still a luxury item. A single therapy session on average costs between $80 to $200. Voucher recipients often seek a BIPOC therapist. There is a high demand and need for BIPOC therapists and there are simply not enough BIPOC therapists to meet that demand. Here at The Loveland Foundation we want to bring things full circle. Not only do we want to grow our Therapy Fund, but through strategic partnerships, we aim to provide scholarships to BIPOC individuals who are interested in becoming mental health practitioners, thereby increasing access to culturally competent clinicians nationwide.
Is there anything you wish more people knew about the organization or the issues you are trying to solve?
-
At its core The Loveland Foundation was created to provide Black women the opportunity to receive validation and healing through access to therapy. While this is still a focal point, the foundation has expanded to much more. This includes social media programming on Instagram live and IGTV where we curate meditation sessions, yoga classes, discussion on grief and healing and much more with experts in mental wellness. Our programming team works diligently to create partnerships with brands as well as clinicians that have resulted in group therapy sessions, therapist professional development, and mental wellness panels.
How can others get involved?
-
Here at The Loveland Foundation we could not do what we do without the generosity of The Loveland community. The best way for people to get involved is to spread the word about us, and donate when you can.