TreeHouse is on a mission to end hopelessness among teens. We offer safe, grace-based environments and one-on-one mentoring that help teens build resilience, form healthy relationships, establish positive coping skills, and actively plan for their futures. Transformation happens from the inside out as teens come to believe they are lovable, capable, and worthwhile. Our vision is for every teen to be rooted in the living hope of Jesus—unleashing untold potential in communities everywhere.
According to a 2021 CDC survey, over 40% of teens reported feeling “persistently sad or hopeless,” while 20% reported having contemplated suicide within the last year. Among the teens TreeHouse serves, 51% have anxious thoughts; 46% have been treated for mental health, emotional, or behavioral problems; 30% have struggled with thoughts of suicide; 20% have used alcohol and/or drugs; and 70% come from low-income families.
These adversities have been exacerbated over the past 2 years due to COVID-19 and social unrest, and teens are dealing with impaired mental health, high stress, and inequities. A recent expose by 60 Minutes (air date of September 4, 2022, https://www.cbsnews.com/60-minutes/) details the increase in suicide rates, depression, and anxiety felt by adolescents in the US since the pandemic, revealing a surge in need for youth mental health supports like those provided by TreeHouse.
TreeHouse meets an immediate and critical need for mental health support and early intervention among disinvested, mostly Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) teens by creating safe spaces for them to work through and process life’s challenges. Here is the story of one of our teens, and how mentoring made her feel loved and accepted regardless of what she was going through.
"A Day in the Life" (2020)