Touchstone Foundation Expands Rise Above Program to Lancaster County Schools Through New Grant Funding
The impact of Rise Above and Touchstone Foundation’s youth mental wellness initiatives continues to gain attention across Lancaster County and Pennsylvania. We are grateful to local media partners for helping elevate conversations around youth mental health, mentorship, suicide prevention, and resilience.
In The News:
These stories help amplify the voices of Lancaster County youth and raise awareness about the importance of early intervention, mentorship, and access to mental wellness resources.
Touchstone Foundation has been awarded $255,766 through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grant program to support the expansion and strengthening of our Rise Above program, bringing valuable mental wellness programming and youth mentorship to Lancaster County schools, for grades 7-12 (ages 12-18), and young adults in community groups, ages 18-26.
Through this competitive award, Rise Above will expand its reach significantly, with a goal of serving 1,120 Lancaster County students and young adults by 2029, helping to build resilience, strengthen mentorship connections, and reduce long-term risk factors associated with trauma and mental health challenges.
Addressing a Critical Need for Youth Mental Wellness and Connection
Young people in Lancaster County are facing growing mental health challenges, with many reporting feelings of depression, isolation and uncertainty about where to turn for support. Local data (2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey) shows that more than one-third of students experience depressive symptoms, and 15.3% have seriously considered suicide —underscoring the urgent need for accessible, preventative mental health programming.
Senator Martin shared in his correspondence to Touchstone Foundation, “With local data showing high rates of depression, bullying and barriers to mental health access, Rise Above plays a critical role in offering compassionate, evidence-informed support to meet these urgent community needs.”
The Power of Mentorship: One Caring Adult Can Change a Life
Suicide prevention research proves the consistent presence of just one caring, supportive adult is a protective factor for many childhood adversities. Supportive adult mentors can: protect and buffer children from toxic stress, help children heal and build resiliency, and inspire young people to build strong relationships. Relationships are the foundation for well-being.
Rise Above: Meeting the Need in Lancaster County: Creating Safe Spaces for Connection and Growth
Rise Above responds to this need by creating inclusive spaces that foster belonging, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations about mental health.
As a youth mental wellness and mentorship program, Rise Above provides supportive environments where students can reflect, ask questions, and connect with peers and trusted adult mentors. Through creative expression and guided conversations, students build emotional awareness, develop coping skills, and gain confidence to advocate for themselves and others.
As one Rise Above student shared “I enjoyed the environment. It felt like a space that made it easy to talk about your thoughts and feelings.”
Rise Above cultivates the connection that youth need.
Launched in 2022, Rise Above was created to help eliminate stigma surrounding youth mental wellness while empowering young people ages 12–26 with tools for resilience, self-awareness, and advocacy. Recent data from the 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey revealed that 35.5% of students reported feelings of worthlessness and 15.3% had considered suicide, underscoring the urgent need for prevention-focused programs and trusted mentorship opportunities.
With support in 2024 from the Lancaster County Community Foundation’s $35,000 Shaping Tomorrow Next Generation Grant, part of a broader $1 million investment into Lancaster County initiatives, Touchstone Foundation is expanding Rise Above into Lancaster County schools through school-day workshops, after-school programming, summer intensives, and community-based groups for young adults. Additional support for Rise Above was also received in 2025 from the City Limits Foundation, helping strengthen the program’s long-term impact and reach.
With this new VIP grant funding, Touchstone Foundation is expanding Rise Above into Lancaster County schools, serving students in grades 7–12 during the school day and through after-school programming. The expansion also includes new opportunities for young adults through community-based groups, extending support beyond high school.
A key component of this expansion is the development of a Safe Space Facilitator training program. This initiative will equip mental health professionals, artists, and community members—as well as Rise Above graduates—with the tools to serve as effective mentors. Training includes Youth Mental Health First Aid, trauma-informed care, and child abuse prevention and reporting.
The program expansion has also received recognition and support from Pennsylvania leaders and community partners who continue to advocate for youth mental wellness, violence prevention, and mentorship initiatives across the Commonwealth.
To learn more or schedule a meeting to bring Rise Above to your school, contact Programs Manager Madeline Mitchell at mmitchell@touchstonefound.org.
For more information and applications, visit: https://touchstonefound.org/rise-above/
For media inquiries, please contact:
Casey Flores
Communications & Development Manager
Touchstone Foundation
###
Touchstone Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has focused on elevating the mental well-being of youth and children in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for 25 years. Visit our website for more information: https://touchstonefound.org.
