Los Alamos Family Council receives grant from LACF. Courtesy/LACF

JJAB receives grant from LACF. Courtesy/LACF

LACF News:

The Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF), in partnership with Anchorum Health Foundation and CHRISTUS St. Vincent, is pleased to announce the distribution of $92,500 to seven Los Alamos nonprofit organizations that are advancing health, wellness, and community resilience across the region.

This marks the fourth grant cycle of in the last two years funded by Anchorum Health Foundation’s strategic focus on strengthening Northern New Mexico communities. The awarded organizations are leading innovative, compassionate, and community-centered initiatives that address critical needs ranging from mental health and youth development to senior nutrition and family stability.

These organizations were funded this cycle:

• Family Strengths Network: $10,000 to support a teen grief group designed to strengthen protective factors, including coping skills, emotional regulation, and peer connection. The program serves as an early intervention effort that reduces isolation while advancing long-term mental wellness and suicide prevention among local youth.
• The Family YMCA: $25,000 to build the capacity of youth serving staff through a collaborative pilot between PEEC and The Family YMCA. The initiative will deliver professional training in social-emotional learning and restorative communication to three to four local organizations during its first year, helping create healthier and more supportive environments for young people.
• Self Help Inc.: $15,000 to support the Emergency Basic Needs Program, which provides financial assistance and referrals to help individuals and families regain stability by addressing urgent needs such as rent, utilities, medical expenses, car repairs, and firewood.
• Zephyr Ridge Academy: $20,000 to support the expansion of therapeutic, evidence-based interventions for students with learning and developmental disabilities, particularly dyslexia, by funding the recruitment and training of specialized staff.
• Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization: $15,000 to sustain the Home Delivered Meals Program amid rising costs and stagnant reimbursement rates, ensuring vulnerable seniors continue to receive daily nutrition, food security, and social connection that support their health and well-being.
• Los Alamos Family Council: $20,000 to expand access to local mental health services while strengthening the future clinician pipeline, helping address both immediate and long-term behavioral health needs in the community.
• Los Alamos Juvenile Justice Advisory Board: $10,000 to sustain and strengthen The CRAFT Lab—an outpatient mental health program serving at-risk youth ages 10–17 involved with the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.

Los Alamos Community Foundation Executive Director Alison Watkins says, “We are grateful to Brandi Weiss, Anchorum Fellow, who has played a key role in coordinating the grant process and fostering collaboration among community partners.”

Weiss expressed gratitude for the opportunity to help amplify and sustain programs making a direct impact in Los Alamos. “These organizations are doing deeply meaningful work every day to improve the health and well-being of our community,” Weiss said. “Through this partnership, Los Alamos Community Foundation is able to invest in programs that not only address immediate challenges, but also create stronger systems of care, connection, and support for families, youth, and seniors throughout Los Alamos County. It is incredibly rewarding to help elevate organizations that are building a healthier and more resilient future for our community.”

Weiss said that as the Foundation continues to strengthen partnerships with regional funders and local nonprofits, this latest round of grants reflects a shared commitment to advancing equitable access to mental health care, youth support services, emergency assistance, and community wellness initiatives throughout Los Alamos.