Connect to Character Social and Emotional Learning Program

In 2015, Connect Community became a BridgeUp at Menninger grantee. The award solidified a partnership between The Menninger Clinic, a leading specialty psychiatric hospital, and Connect Community and led to the creation of our, school based, community focused social-emotional learning program, Connect to Character (C2C). C2C is designed to meet the social emotional needs of a school community and supports the three main school stakeholders: students, families, and educators. C2C provides transformational experiences and creates positive wellness outcomes for each stakeholder.

Since 2015, Connect has continued to be awarded competitive grants and private funds to further and deepen our education initiatives for the neighborhood. In 2019, Connect Community was awarded a grant from the Hogg Foundation and became a grantee in the Communities of Care (COC) initiative. COC is an effort focused on engaging diverse and historically excluded groups to facilitate courageous conversations, and implement improvements to support resiliency, mental health and well-being. Empowered by the Hogg Foundation, Connect has created the Gulfton Youth Coalition (GYC). GYC is an innovative, future-focused coalition of young people, families, educators, and community members seeking to empower the next generation of community development ideas and leaders.