Connected Communities is a new initiative of The Collaborative for Family Education (TCFFE) designed to improve youth mental health and belonging in rural El Paso and Teller Counties.
The program equips parents, caregivers, educators, employers, and faith leaders with simple, accessible tools to strengthen communication, emotional literacy, and resilience among young people.
This program is made possible through support from the Anna Keesling Ackerman Fund, and we are actively seeking additional funding partners to expand our reach across the Pikes Peak region.
Rural families in our region face increasing challenges—youth anxiety, depression, social isolation, and limited access to mental health support. Many caring adults want to help but lack the resources or confidence to start these important conversations.
Connected Communities bridges that gap by empowering adults to build emotionally supportive environments everywhere youth spend time—at home, school, work, and church.
Our long-term goal is to strengthen the protective factors that help young people thrive: belonging, trusted adult relationships, and family communication.
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, a heart condition, or suffers a serious accident, the community knows how to respond. We rally. We organize meal trains, host pancake dinners, design t-shirts, and run 5Ks. We show up with casseroles, fundraisers, and endless support. But when a young person struggles with anxiety, depression, self-harm, or identity-based stress—the response is often silence. No meal trains. No “Team So-and-So” shirts. Just uncertainty and isolation. Connected Communities exists to change that story. By giving adults the language, confidence, and tools to talk about mental health, we can replace silence with support, and create a culture where no child—and no family—faces emotional pain alone.
Connected Communities provides free, practical, and community-based support through:
Weekly 15-Minute Video Trainings
Bite-sized tools and insights for parents, educators, and community leaders on topics like active listening, youth anxiety, digital wellness, and positive discipline.
Monthly Family Engagement Newsletters
Reaching over 8,000 rural households and tens of thousands with our social media accounts, our newsletters deliver timely guidance, conversation starters, and local mental health resources.
Community Workshops
We hope to offer monthly events at libraries, schools, and faith organizations, open to all community members. Workshops explore topics such as:
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen (and Vice Versa)
Raising Emotionally Literate Kids
Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Youth
Helping Teens Manage Digital Overload
The Role of Community Leaders in Youth Mental Health
Outreach and Collaboration
We are actively seeking partnerships with 30+ schools, churches, and local employers to promote family wellness and host trainings in their own settings.
Connected Communities primarily serves:
Youth ages 6–22 in Teller, Park, and rural El Paso Counties
Families and caregivers seeking practical tools for connection
Educators and youth-serving professionals
Faith and community leaders
Local employers supporting family-friendly workplaces
Over 75% of participating families identify as low-income, and many come from Hispanic/Latinx, African American, and multiracial backgrounds.
By the end of the program year (October 2026), we aim to:
Reach 9,000+ individuals through newsletters, videos, and workshops.
Train 40+ educators and youth-serving adults through weekly micro-trainings.
Increase caregiver confidence in discussing youth mental health.
Build sustainable partnerships with 30+ community organizations.
Normalize open, affirming conversations about mental health in family and faith settings.
Your donation or grant helps expand Connected Communities into more neighborhoods, schools, and faith communities—bringing essential mental health education and connection to rural families.
Every donation adds up! Thank you! For larger donations, grants, or funding - feel free to email or call us for a copy of our current budget and statements. We are happy to provide whatever information you need - as a 501c3 organization that is mostly volunteer run (except during the summer camp season) we hold ourselves to a very high standard of financial responsibility.
This program is supported in part by the Anna Keesling Ackerman Fund.
We are actively seeking additional community and foundation partners to grow this initiative in 2025–2026.