BIO Girls Offers Financial Assistance To Ensure All Families Access To Preventative Mental Wellness Programming
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And for adolescent girls, mental health and self-esteem go hand in hand.
Low self-esteem is one of the strongest predictors of emotional and behavioral issues. This is why BIO Girls is so important. By building self-esteem in girls, BIO Girls is proven to be a preventive approach to many of the mental health issues girls are facing. Seven out of 10 BIO Girls participants experience increased self-esteem and 50% of BIO Girls participants experience decreased anxiety.
Knowing the importance of programming, BIO Girls has implemented a ‘pay as you can’ method providing financial assistance to families in need. To illustrate the power of this method, meet BIO Girl on financial assistance - Elyana.
Riddled with anxiety and worry, Elyana’s mom knew BIO Girls was necessary for her daughter. After seeing the option for a full scholarship to participate in BIO Girls, Elyana’s mom didn’t hesitate to sign her daughter up. For their family, paying out of pocket for the program wasn’t feasible at the time.
Struggling with anxiety and low self-esteem, she hoped the program would help her daughter to feel confident in herself, use her voice and improve her overall mental health. At the first session Ely was so uncomfortable, not wanting her mom to leave her. She left her coat on the entire session and hardly interacted with the mentors and other participants. She was incredibly shy and far from confident.
Fortunately, as the season went on, things changed.
“Her self-confidence has grown tremendously. With me, with her friends, and at school. She’s not scared to be comfortable in who she is and voice her concerns or stand up for herself or others. Whereas before, I felt as she was kind of shoved in a corner.”
To view Elyana’s full story, visit www.biogirls.org/blog/meet-elyana-blog
Elyana’s story is one of thousands of BIO Girls experiencing positive impact through the BIO Girls 12-week program. This MHAM, you can support the mission of improving self-esteem in adolescent girls.
Support the BIO Girls Financial Aid Fund: For just $12 a month, you can support one BIO Girl on financial assistance. In 2023 BIO Girls provided over $330,000 in financial assistance to program participants. As the need for mental wellness programming rises, the organization anticipates providing $430,000 throughout 2024. To support the program financially, visit www.biogirls.org/ff
Run, Walk or Jog at the 5th Annual Find Your Kind 5K: Presented by BCBSND Caring Foundation, proceeds from this event directly support the BIO Girls mission. Sign up for the 5K or ½ mile youth run. Hosted on May 15th at 6PM at Microsoft Campus in Fargo. Volunteer opportunities are also available. Learn more and register at www.biogirls.org/5k
Get involved! If you're looking to learn more about the BIO Girls program itself, how you can get involved, or how to register a participant, head to www.biogirls.org