The Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac has received a $50,000 gift from the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation to support and expand the Club’s Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and mental health programming for local youth. The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation has been an active donor to the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac since 2015 and has supported the SEL program specifically since 2022.
In total, the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation has given more than $250,000 to support the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac.
The Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac SEL programs were launched in spring 2021 to respond to the growing youth mental health crisis intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. SEL programming provides timely, stabilizing support and creates a bridge to formal therapeutic services for young people in need.
In fall 2022, recognizing the early success and critical community impact of the program, the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation made a noteworthy investment to double the program’s capacity, enabling the Club to add a second full‑time mental health coordinator. This staffing expansion has since allowed for significantly more youth connections, additional access to resources like the Club’s “Zen Den,” and an increase in family referrals to outside services.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation for its continued belief in what this program makes possible for kids in our community,” according to Dan Hebel, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac. “Their support has allowed us to grow quickly at a time when youth mental health needs are rising.”
Data from the Club shows significant gains in both program participation and youth well‑being outcomes since the expansion of SEL services with participation increasing 45% between 2022 and 2023, while Zen Den visits more than doubled.
“These aren’t just numbers,” Hebel says. “They represent hundreds of young people who now feel more supported, understood, and connected because of the SEL program. The continued partnership with the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation helps us build a culture where kids’ mental health is a priority, and where they have trusted adults to turn to when life gets overwhelming.”
The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation has supported Boys & Girls Club programming for more than a decade, and this latest gift builds on a shared commitment to improving community health and providing accessible support for youth and families.
“This gift from the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation is far more than financial support,” says Mason Gravelle, Philanthropy Development Manager, Wisconsin Region, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation. “It’s an investment in the emotional well‑being and future of our kids. At a time when so many young people are facing challenges they were never meant to carry alone, this partnership allows us to show up for them in meaningful, immediate ways. We’re deeply grateful for this commitment to the mental health of our community’s youth.”
The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation is supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac’s Social-Emotional Learning and mental health programming for local youth with a $50,000 gift. Mason Gravelle (center) and Deb Winterhack (right), with the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, are shown with Dan Hebel, Pam Sippel, Aly Sanders, and Dr. Nora Olson.