For Love of Children
For Love of Children, Inc. (FLOC) is a 100% volunteer agency, with the mission to serve more than 8,000 children in the greater Dayton area who are neglected, abused, in foster care, or who are in need of community resources.
FLOC has 16 programs to help kids connect through cooking, music and arts and crafts. Beth Mann, president of the board for FLOC, said the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine really threw kids for a loop and getting back into a routine is important.
“COVID did a huge number on the entire universe,” Mann said. “Kids were given the experience of being out of touch with peers. No physical contact and no peers. It created a sense of miscommunication and the inability to even want face-to-face communication.”
Many of the programs offered by FLOC help to minimize the effects of trauma when they occur. For example, the Comfort a Child program helps kids transition into a foster home by providing them with a new duffel bag to pack their belongings. Mann said many times the kids only have a garbage bag to use, so this program makes their transition less dehumanizing.
Their largest program is the Christmas for Kids event. FLOC works with volunteers and partner with other organizations to give gifts to every child represented by Montgomery County Services. Through donations and volunteer support, they now serve well over 2,400 children in the Greater Dayton area each Christmas.
“We are very passionate about the kids we serve,” Mann said. “And it amazes me how the community helps our kids.”
Many programs give kids skills that they will need in the future including academics and finances. Money Madness focuses on teaching kids about credit and financial success. The Tools for School program offer academic resources including supplies and tutoring. FLOC used to have a bullying program that Mann said they are planning to bring back in the future.
To donate or volunteer, visit FLOC’s website at flocdaytonohio.org.
The National Conference for Community & Justice of Greater Dayton
The National Conference for Community & Justice of Greater Dayton (NCCJ) has the mission of educating and empowering communities to eliminate bias, bigotry and all forms of discrimination. Adriane Miller, executive director of NCCJ, said that her organization is focused on prevention to help kids’ mental health.
“The youth of today are much more aware of who they are,” she said. “This access to information that we have at our fingertips is a strength and a challenge. They see themselves differently, so we have many more youth that identify outside of the traditional gender binary. They just have a different sense of who they are.”
Being different or not like other people can cause anxiety and distress in young people. Miller said her organization has several school-based and community programs. The AnyTown Youth Leadership Institute (weeklong) and Retreat (weekend-long) help youth to engage in conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion.
“AnyTown is about building relationships,” Miller said. “It’s cliché sounding, but it is the reality that they come in as strangers and leave as family. We do experiential activities around racism, sexism and classicism. We do suicide prevention, self-care and we talk about disabilities. But the kids get together and they see how much more we have in common than we do that divides us.”
Another program is called Students Promoting Inclusion, Diversity and Equity through Education or SPIDEE, and is a youth leadership program that prepares high school students to be leaders in their school and role models to younger students. Another program called Police and Youth Together where local law enforcement interact with kids during a week-long day camp.
“Connecting with adults is a way of helping kids with their mental health,” Miller said. “Knowing who to talk to and normalizing the conversations and then providing safe activities for kids to be a part of.”
To donate or to find out more about NCCJ, visit their website at nccjgreaterdayton.org.
Acumen Therapeutics
Acumen Therapeutics was founded with the vision to create a clear path for behavioral, mental, and physical health through counseling services rooted in accountability, patience, integrity, and care. The group was established in 2023 and opened their first facility on June 5, 2024.
Andrea Allen, founder and CEO of Acumen Therapeutics, said the trends they have seen in kids’ mental health are anxiety, depression and poor social skills. Allen said that this was due to many factors including social media, technology, school pressures, family dynamics, prejudices and other societal issues.
“This current generation has access to more information and have been exposed to more than any other generation that has ever lived,” Allen said. “They are the first generation who has had social media access for most or all of their lives. Gender and sexual identity is also at the forefront more now than in previous generations. The world we live in today is moving at a very fast pace, and there are so many things coming at you at once that it can be challenging to process and learn how to maneuver, especially for kids.”
The group offers an after-school therapy program for students struggling with positive behaviors, mental processing, working well with others, communication, and coping skills. Providers will work with students in small groups and individually to enhance pro-social behaviors, build effective communication skills, and equip youth with tools to cope and process their emotions healthily.
“We work with the youth to enhance pro-social behaviors, build effective communication skills, strengthen feelings towards oneself, educate them about mental health issues, and equip them with tools to cope and process their emotions healthily,” Allen said.
Another program is the youth wellness summer program, which is for youth struggling with self-esteem, confidence, behavioral health, mental processing, and coping skills. Summer camp leaders will lead educational and physical activities to promote academic and physical wellness.
The 366 Change Program is an eight-week cognitive program designed to address and counter the faulty ways of thinking that result in anti-social behavior. This program uses behavior modification techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients challenge negative attitudes. This program is helpful for kids who have experienced long periods of isolation.
“Our mission is simple yet profound: To provide quality services and care through a comprehensive, accessible, and proactive approach to promote personal growth and wellness,” Allen said. “We are dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive space where youth, adolescents, and adults can explore their unique path to wellness, free from judgment or stigma.”
For more information on these programs or other services, visit myacumentherapy.com.
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