Whitefish Community Foundation recently awarded a $150,000 multi-year Kids Fund Grant to Montana Pediatrics to support a mental and behavioral health program for youth in the Flathead Valley.

Montana Pediatrics is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to high-quality, low-cost, pediatric-specific care for all children in Montana regardless of their geographic location or their family’s ability to pay.

Whitefish Community Foundation’s Kids Fund Grant will help Montana Pediatrics address the root causes of mental health struggles in local youth by providing training for teachers, administrators, school staff and youth themselves to enable early intervention. Additionally, the grant will support Montana Pediatrics’ work to establish care access points within schools and over telemedicine, removing barriers such as cost, transportation, stigma and time constraints.

“This grant will allow us to bring bold, innovative approaches to mental health care to children in the Flathead Valley,” Montana Pediatrics Chief Communications Officer Kate Lufkin said. “By combining traditional support with cutting-edge digital tools — shaped by youth themselves — and expanding the ability of schools and community partners to respond to mental health needs, we’re building a future where care is accessible, responsive, and truly designed around kids."

The Kids Fund was created in 2019 to support programs in the areas of health, safety and education that mitigate challenges and prevent local youth from becoming homeless. To date, Whitefish Community Foundation has awarded over $750,000 in Kids Fund grants to local nonprofit organizations.

“The mental and emotional well-being of our youth has never been more important,” Whitefish Community Foundation President/CEO Alan Davis said. “Montana Pediatrics is tackling our mental health crisis head-on by creating a youth-focused digital platform and telehealth network that will reach even the most rural Montana communities. Their work will ensure that every child — regardless of location or ability to pay —  can access the mental health care they need.”

Whitefish Community Foundation is dedicated to fostering philanthropy, building endowments, and helping donors and nonprofits benefit our communities. To learn more about the Kids Fund, including requirements for applying for a grant, visit whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/the-kids-fund/.