Past Community Builder recipient, Jimmy Thursby, from RDO Equipment Co. in Irving, TexasYouth mental health is an important topic. There is a need in every community for resources addressing youth depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Recognizing this need, the Offutt Family Foundation, with support from R.D. Offutt Company, looked to provide help with the latest round of its Community Builder grant program.
The Community Builder program is a unique initiative designed to support charitable organizations and nonprofits that RDO team members are passionate about and serve the greater good in their communities. All RDO team members were invited to apply for this year’s Community Builder program, which had a special focus on supporting youth mental health nonprofits.
Numerous RDO Equipment Co. and R.D. Offutt Farms team members stepped up across the entire company footprint, from Southern California to eastern Washington, to the Upper Midwest and the heart of Texas, nominating charities that they either had a personal connection to or they recognized as ones doing important work in their communities.
Through the Community Builder program, the Offutt Family Foundation awarded 32 grants to nonprofits supporting and serving youth. R.D. Offutt Company matched the funding put forth by the Offutt Family Foundation, doubling the impact to these important causes. In total, $324,000 was awarded to the recipients across the RDO footprint.
“According to the Jed Foundation, rates of mental health issues among adolescents were already rising prior to the pandemic, and the impacts of the pandemic have only worsened the trend,” Jean Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Offutt Family Foundation said. “We recognized this as a significant opportunity to impact our communities and respond to the pressing need for youth mental health services.”
Part of the reason for this recent rise in mental health issues was due to a lack of access to mental health and peer support resources, which are commonly obtained through high schools. The limited opportunities for social connection because of “shelter in place” and “stay at home” orders further drove this trend. The Community Builder awards will help to get more resources to the young people who need them, through the work of all the deserving nonprofits that received grants.
Since 2015, through the Community Builder program, the Offutt Family Foundation has awarded $1.22 million in grants to nonprofits and causes that RDO team members are passionate about. The program builds on the spirit of community involvement embedded in RDO culture and embodied by team members.
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