LETTER: Hannah’s House $25,000 campaign supports a critical milestone
To the Community:
May is Mental Health Month, but at Hannah’s House, every day is dedicated to supporting the well-being of our community. For 15 years, we’ve provided mental health counseling, education, and outreach for people of all ages in the Mad River Valley and Waterbury areas.
Hannah’s House was founded in 2010 to honor Hannah Bedford, a bright and courageous young woman from Waitsfield who lived with significant mental health challenges. Her family and community transformed their grief into a mission of hope – and from that beginning, countless lives have been positively impacted in Central Vermont.
Our impact
From those early days, Hannah’s House has expanded into a wide range of free programs and supports, including:
Twice weekly After School Café for high school students, providing food, connection, and in-person access to a youth therapist
Monthly community grief support group
Clinical supervision to pre-licensed therapists entering the field
Crisis support for Harwood students and staff after the tragic loss of five classmates
Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification Classes
Parent and school presentations on teen mental health topics such as internet safety, anxiety, depression
Teacher and staff wellness offerings (yoga, chair massage)
Three years of our weekly Walk & Talks during and after COVID
Community film screenings of mental health documentaries with therapist-led discussions
Participation in annual Wellness Fairs at Harwood Union High School and Sugarbush Resort
At the heart of all this is our core mission: affordable, accessible one-on-one counseling. With five therapists in Waitsfield and Waterbury, we now provide more than 3,800 therapy sessions each year and have provided $15,000 annually for free or reduced-cost therapy for our uninsured/ underinsured neighbors.
Our need
But the demand continues to grow. We are at capacity and regularly have to turn people away. Three excellent therapists are ready to join us – and our community is ready for them. To make this possible, we need to raise $25,000.
For 15 years, Hannah’s House has been sustained primarily by private donations from neighbors like you and various grants. We are deeply grateful for your past generosity, and today we’re asking for your help once again.
Will you help us reach this next milestone? No amount is too large or too small. Every donation is tax-exempt as we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donate online by visiting our website hannahshousevt.org, or you may mail a check to P.O. Box 217, Waitsfield, VT 05673.
Thank you for supporting mental health in your community!
Chrissy Rivers, Hannah’s House executive director
Waterbury & Waitsfield