As we reach the end of this year, I want to take a moment to reflect together. While many of us are justified in arriving at this year’s finish line feeling weary, we must also celebrate the extraordinary work that human services providers across our region have accomplished in 2025. Between the federal government shutdown, the prolonged Pennsylvania state budget impasse, and cuts to funding, the behavioral health community faced unprecedented instability. Yet, despite these barriers, you and your teams continued to show up with creativity and compassion.

I remain grateful that Staunton Farm Foundation is in a position to support organizations doing such critical work. Because of your resilience, thousands of people in southwestern Pennsylvania continue to receive services that improve lives. Even in the hardest moments, you pulled together, shared resources, closed unavoidable gaps, and reminded us that brighter days remain possible when we stand together.

While I am continuously impressed with the work happening across our region, I want to highlight just a few examples that demonstrate the depth and impact of your efforts this year:

Allegheny Family Network’s Parent and Family Alliance strengthened peer-led mental health support for families across eight counties, ensuring that parents have access to culturally responsive, lived-experience support. Their work reflects a powerful belief: when families are supported, entire communities flourish.

Mars Home for Youth’s MST-Psych expansion in Lawrence County demonstrated what is possible when evidence-based, trauma-informed interventions meet community need. In this program, psychiatrists are able to provide services in-home, removing yet another barrier to treatment. By integrating psychiatric care and family-focused approaches, MST-Psych is helping youth avoid out-of-home placement and build healthier, more stable futures.

St. Clair Hospital’s new psychiatric stabilization unit will transform the way patients access emergency mental health support. By reducing emergency department congestion, improving care coordination, and expanding crisis services for vulnerable populations, this initiative aims to strengthen the region’s ability to respond with dignity, speed, and compassion.

Standing in awe of this work, and the efforts of all our grantee partners, gives me tremendous hope as we look toward the year ahead. Thank you for opening your doors to us, sharing your stories, and allowing us to witness firsthand the impact of your programs. Your partnership shapes our understanding of community needs and informs every decision we make.

This fall, we officially launched Staunton Farm Foundation’s strategic planning process. It has been an opportunity not only to reflect on what has worked well but also to consider how our work must evolve to meet the growing behavioral health needs of our region. We reviewed county needs assessments, interviewed community stakeholders, and listened closely to your insights during site visits.

Through this process, we aim to:

• Assess our strengths and identify opportunities to deepen our impact.
• Clarify or refine our mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Align our grantmaking and operations with the shifting needs of the communities we serve.

We look forward to sharing our new strategic plan in the summer of 2026 and to continuing this journey in partnership with you.

As we move into the new year, I hope you find time to rest and recharge. Stay encouraged, trust in the importance of your work, and know that Staunton Farm Foundation remains by your side as we work together to build a stronger, more innovative behavioral-health system.

Sincerely,

Monique Jackson
Executive Director
Staunton Farm Foundation