Girls Inc. of the Valley to Celebrate Girls Inc. Week and Girls Inc. Together - Day of Giving with

Guests will Receive an Exclusive Sneak Peek of the Newly Renovated Program Space and Hear from Children’s Book Author, Lesléa Newman  
  
Holyoke, MA – Girls Inc. of the Valley is celebrating the unveiling of their newly renovated program space and the extraordinary achievements of all girls and alumni leading up to Girls Inc. Week 2025 and Girls Inc. Together - Day of Giving. Girls Inc. of the Valley is embracing the community’s support in addressing a critical issue facing youth today: mental health.  
 
Girls Inc. of the Valley is joining forces with 50+ other Girls Inc. affiliates throughout the United States and Canada to join them in Girls Inc. Week and Girls Inc. Together - A Day of Giving, to support the creation of a more balanced and sustainable future for girls. Girls Inc. of the Valley’s research-based curriculum provides a difference you can see; as their participant’s self-confidence grows, so do their social, emotional, and academic skills. Through the generosity of so many they were able to renovate their program space in an effort to inspire generations of future leaders. Guests and attendees will have the opportunity to walk through Girls Inc. of the Valley’s newly renovated program space on Thursday, May 1st, 2025, at 1:00pm, at Girls Inc. of the Valley located at 480 Hampden Street, Holyoke, MA.   
 
This event is an opportunity to engage a variety of audiences in conversation around topics that are important to all girls. Girls Inc. of the Valley is asking the community to join them in breaking down stigmas surrounding mental health and championing the actions girls are taking to support their peers and communities. Girls Inc. Week, taking place from Monday, May 5th, to Friday, May 9th, 2025, will culminate in the second-annual network-wide virtual fundraiser, Girls Inc. Together - A Day of Giving, taking place on Thursday, May 8th, 2025. Donations will be accepted, and all proceeds will support Girls Inc. of the Valley’s research-based programming. The proceeds will help Girls Inc. of the Valley improve access to, and quality of, mental health and wellness support.  
 
Mental health is important at every stage of life and is critical for a girl’s success in school. It is evident from statistics compiled by the CDC that our communities are currently facing a mental health crisis among youth. Based on the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance of 2023, in 2023, almost 53% of female students in the U.S. experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during 2023, and over 27% seriously considered attempting suicide. This issue persists not only in the United States but in Canada as well, where emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems affect approximately 1.2 million children, yet fewer than 20% receive appropriate treatment. Girls Inc. Affiliates report that world issues have contributed to trauma and mental health concerns for girls.  
 
Mental health impacts girls' and young women’s ability to lead healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful lives. There are a variety of environmental and social factors that contribute to the deteriorating mental health among girls. Even though mental health issues are treatable, girls may not receive the services they need if their schools and communities do not have the necessary resources. By supporting this cause, the community can help provide funding for programs that promote trauma-informed practices, training, and healing-centered engagement for children and families who may have experienced trauma. By joining Girls Inc. of the Valley, you can help ensure that resources in schools are tailored to students’ specific needs and girls gain access to more inclusive mental health and wellness education. 
 
“We have a week full of meaningful activities to acknowledge and support the girl’s questions and challenges. Our Real Essentials curriculum with a focus on mental health, MADD’s substance abuse prevention workshop for our teens, a fun spa day, and more are planned to help our kids feel better,” said Suzanne Parker, Executive Director, Girls Inc. of the Valley. 
Girls Inc. of the Valley is asking you to participate in Girls Inc. Week and Girls Inc. Together to shine a spotlight on youth mental health, while celebrating the resilience, strength, and proactive spirit of girls. Help them build a sisterhood of support across the Girls Inc. national network.  
To find out how you can be part of this effort and help our kids feel their best, contact Sasha at 413-335-0059 or sviands@girlsincvalley.org 
 
Girls Inc. of the Valley thanks our generous sponsors—PeoplesBank, Keiter Construction, Comcast, The Collins Companies, Sourcepass, BonaVita Aesthetics, and Latka Printing—for their unwavering commitment to uplifting youth and making this celebration—and the ongoing work to support girls’ mental health—possible. 
If interested, or have questions regarding this event, please contact Meghan Rothschild at (413) 218-4994 or meghan@chikmedia.us.  
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Girls Inc. of the Valley is a leading nonprofit committed to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold by providing them with educational development programs that are research-driven and designed to meet the specific needs of girls. Girls Inc. of the Valley serves youth ages 8-18 from the greater-Holyoke, Springfield, and Chicopee, MA areas.