For All Seasons recently received a $30,000 grant from The Speer Trust, an Administrative Commission of the New Castle Presbytery, to support residents on the Mid Shore, including Kent County. The grant will help families to have access to mental health services regardless of their ability to pay and victims of rape and sexual assault to continue to receive a rapid support and advocacy response and have opportunities for ongoing mental health treatment.

According to Beth Anne Langrell, Executive Director of For All Seasons, “Even with the Affordable Care Act, the reality is that co-payments have skyrocketed in the past several years and families cannot afford these co-payments for mental health care. We believe that families shouldn’t have to choose between food on the table and mental health care – families and communities are healthier and safer when everyone who needs mental health care gets it.”

One focus of the grant will be to reach out to the community, including the Chestertown Presbyterian Church, to ensure that everyone knows about mental health needs and sexual assault prevention and awareness activities. In addition, For All Seasons will also offer general education sessions on topics such as grief, attachment, trauma, and coping.

The Speer Trust is an Administrative Commission of the New Castle Presbytery, funding $6 million of programs in Delaware and the Eastern Shore of MD over the past 32 years and $8 million worldwide. The Speer Trust is a bequest from the estate of George I. And Lizzie F. Speer of Wilmington, Delaware, received by the Presbytery of New Castle in 1985 and earmarked for mission with people who are poor and oppressed. The Presbytery, through the use of the Speer Trust, is committed to empowering people who are marginalized, in every culture, and addressing root cause of poverty.

According to Bob Schminkey, Stated Clerk for New Castle Presbytery, “New Castle Presbytery is excited to partner with For All Seasons in supporting and expanding your mental health advocacy throughout the Eastern Shore. We look forward to our local congregations joining with you to build safe and healthy communities where health services are accessible to all.”

Langrell adds, “We are thrilled with the opportunity this grant provides in helping those who have entrusted us with their care to be empowered and nurtured on their journey to wellness.”

Caption: Pictured left to right are Bob Schminkey, Stated Clerk for New Castle Presbytery, Pastor Sara Holben, Presbyterian Church of Chestertown, and Beth Anne Langrell, Executive Director of For All Seasons, Inc. For All Seasons recently received a $30,000 grant from The Speer Trust, an Administrative Commission of the New Castle Presbytery, to support residents on the Mid Shore, including Kent County.