KidsMatter works collaboratively with organizations and resources throughout the community, including mental health professionals, hospitals, schools, public safety agencies, faith-based communities, and local businesses. Their support and services impact roughly 50,000 youth throughout DuPage, Kane, and Will counties.
“In 1995, Edward Hospital saw an uptick in young people coming into the hospital with suicidal ideation and drug and alcohol issues and wanted to do something with the community collaboratively,” says Nina Menis, CEO and Executive Director of KidsMatter. “So they brought all the community leaders together…then KidsMatter was formed in about 2001, and we continue to work as an intermediary with community leaders working together to support youth and families.”
KidsMatter builds resilient kids who say “No” to destructive choices and “Yes” to their endless possibilities
As a prevention-based organization that focuses on the overall social, emotional, and academic well-being of kids, KidsMatter provides career exploration and leadership programs, and youth mental health training and education events focused on empowering youth and families.
“Some of our programs have been around almost since our beginning,” says Sherilyn Hebel, the Director of Programs. “We just held our 21st annual volunteer fair, and that brings about almost 30 nonprofits together all in the same room so that youth, families, teenagers, young people, and older people can learn about different wto can serve in the community.”
Another enduring program is the Community Job Fair. Dozens of companies attend the fair, and young people can learn about career opportunities, try mock interviews, and work on resumes.
A new program being offered is the Springboard Summer Series.
“We had about 80 kids exploring careers in health care throughout the community,” says Menis, “and that’s just a great opportunity for kids before they make that college or post-high school decision to get to taste and experience all different types of opportunities there are within health care.” This year, they added an option for students to explore careers in the trades and construction management.
Spotlight Guests: Nina Menis, CEO & Executive Director and Sherilyn Hebel, Director of Programs
