La Maida Project, Save the Children Launch Trainer Network to Support Kids’ Mental Health Needs in Rural America, Foster Wellness among Rural Educators and Caregivers

New Mental Health Initiative Launching in Seven States; Partnership Sparked by La Maida Project Founding Board Member and Save the Children Trustee Jennifer Garner

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (May 1, 2025) — With limited access to mental health care across rural America, La Maida Project and Save the Children today announced a new partnership that’s building a trauma-informed trainer network to support children’s mental health and foster wellness among educators and caregivers in some of the country’s hardest-to-reach, most impoverished rural communities.

The initial network of 25 certified Save the Children trainers, instructed by La Maida Project mental health facilitators, will be working to train Save the Children early education staff across seven states to strengthen mental health supports for rural children in nearly 55 counties, while building a culture of well-being among those educating and caring for them.

The new partnership comes at a time when nearly 70 percent of the country’s designated mental health professional shortage areas are rural or partially rural, and was sparked by actor Jennifer Garner, who is both a founding Board Member for La Maida Project and an Artist Ambassador and Trustee for Save the Children.

"La Maida Project and Save the Children working together is the perfect recipe to catalyze positive change in how rural communities can promote wellness and support the mental health needs of their youngest learners, as well as those taking care of them,” said Garner, a champion for education equality and better mental health systems. “La Maida Project empowers organizations to adopt an ecological approach to well-being that improves the mental health of their teams and those they support, while Save the Children has a high-quality network of early learning programming reaching children and families in rural towns with limited resources, geographic isolation and ever-growing disparities.”

“La Maida Project is honored to partner with Save the Children to assist in creating mental health-supporting ecosystems within their workplace culture and the rural communities they serve, improving their overall well-being,” said Lynn Knox, Executive Director of La Maida Project. “Collaborating to provide proven tools and resources that promote transformation and growth through the practice of connection is impactful and effective in creating meaningful change in areas most in need. We look forward to supporting the Save the Children team to ensure success in this initiative and to grow our partnership further.”

Save the Children’s 25 trauma-informed trainers will support children, educators and caregivers through the global nonprofit’s early education programs and Head Start preschool centers in rural communities in seven states – Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee – helping train and inform Save the Children program staff on how to strengthen stress management skills and well-being, both for themselves and the kids, parents and colleagues they support.

“No child, parent or educator lives without risk to challenging experiences that can generate stress or trauma, and Save the Children is excited to partner with La Maida Project to further cultivate a culture in rural early learning environments that promotes resilience and optimal mental health for our staff, caregivers and the children they are helping build brighter futures,” said Linda Hampton, Head of Save the Children’s Community and Program Partnerships in the U.S.

La Maida Project (LMP) is a nonprofit organization addressing the growing mental health crisis by empowering organizations to adopt an ecological approach to healing that improves the mental health of their teams and those they serve. We offer training and education for the workforce that increases health literacy, builds regulation and resiliency skills, and strengthens workplace relationships through the power of community and purpose. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.