Thank You Napa Valley Vintners
For more than 20 years, Cope Family Center has been privileged to have the support of the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) which has contributed almost $5 million in that time. This generosity has transformed the lives of thousands of children and their families and helped build a stronger community for all. We are grateful to report that NVV recently announced their support will continue with a grant of $250,000.
By renewing their investment in Cope’s family support and strengthening services, NVV demonstrates their understanding of the importance of promoting the health and wellbeing of Napa’s children; investing in families today will create a safer, healthier, and more equitable community for tomorrow. Stress and trauma can have drastic health consequences for children and for the adults they grow up to be, which is why prevention is so important. Preventing childhood trauma is vital in not only protecting the physical safety and wellbeing of children, but in protecting their mental health as well.
Raising a family in our community is not easy. No matter what our circumstances, parenting is one of the hardest things we will ever do. And many in our community face additional challenges that make it harder to be the parent we want to be. Sharp inflation, a shortage of affordable housing, and destructive wildfires, for example, take a toll on the whole family. Household stressors like domestic violence, substance use, and mental health issues can make parenting especially challenging, and families experiencing structural inequalities and discrimination like racism may face additional challenges in meeting their children’s physical and emotional needs.
Research shows that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), like these create toxic stress in the body, which can change brain development and affect how one responds to stress. Children and youth who experience four or more ACEs have been shown to have increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, placing them at risk for unsafe behaviors like smoking, heavy drinking, and self-harm.
In addition to emotional distress, mental health disorders in children and youth can have far-reaching consequences both socially and academically. Children and youth with mental health disorders are more likely to miss school, be suspended or expelled, earn poor grades, and drop out of school altogether. Young children are also more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior and have poor relationships with their peers.
As scary as these facts may seem, we are fortunate to have the generous support of many donors and community partners like NVV. With their support, Cope can continue to provide the vital services that help families get through everyday stressors and challenging times with programs like parenting classes; home visiting; emergency assistance like diapers, baby formula, wipes, and grocery and gas gift cards; development and mental health screenings; and connections to resources for additional support.
The power of prevention cannot be overstated: by reducing stress for families and children today, we decrease the amount of trauma the whole family faces. And that makes it possible for children to learn more, be more mentally and physically healthy, and lead more robust and fulfilling lives.
Thank you to the Napa Valley Vintners for their philanthropic leadership, and for partnering with Cope Family Center for so many years. We are grateful for your continued support in creating a stronger and healthier community for Napa Valley’s families.
Thank you!
Jessica Silverman
Executive Director