Wheeler received a $6,000 grant from the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin, Inc., a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, to support its Walk With Me program in New Britain. This grant, the second from this organization, will be used to support the work of a peer support specialist and enhance and expand parent/caregiver services for LGBTQIA+ families. The first Community Chest grant, in the amount of $16,765, was awarded to Wheeler in 2024.
The grant will expand Walk With Me program services to:
- Provide parents and caregivers with guidance and strategies to navigate their child’s and family’s journey
- Identify and inform youth, parents, and caregivers of existing online and other community resources
- Connect parents and caregivers with Wheeler treatment and available community resources and opportunities, including linkages to needed health services when identified
- Encourage intra-and inter-family support networks
- Broaden community outreach and education
Walk With Me is a specialized outpatient treatment track for LGBTQIA+-identifying people of all ages who are seeking therapeutic and/or peer support to address their specific needs. The program is funded through philanthropy and private foundation support. The Walk With Me track is designed to create a safe and inclusive array of services for LGBTQIA+ people and their loved ones where they can be validated, explore their identities, reduce feelings of isolation, strengthen their support system, and develop skills to cope with stress and stigma. With an emphasis on treating the whole person, this track includes a dedicated team of behavioral health, medical, and peer support staff to provide robust wrap-around services that are tailored to meet the needs of each unique patient, wherever they are on their journey.