Established by Rachel Cargle in 2018 after her successful birthday wish fundraiser, Therapy for Black Women and Girls, The Loveland Foundation continues to give support to women and girls of color years later. In 2021 alone, Loveland Therapy Fund provided 51,900+ hours of therapy to over 5,000 individuals, and expanded their Therapy Fund vouchers to offer 12 therapy sessions per person, as opposed to 8 sessions per person in 2020. Ultimately, The Loveland Foundation’s goal is to serve Black women and girls by connecting them to mental health professionals around the country who are capable of providing accessible, culturally competent, and high quality services to them. As of the publication of their 2021 Annual Report, 1,196 therapists are included in their network, and through the foundation’s partnerships with therapist directories and search platforms, that number will continue to grow.
In 2022, the non-profit has plans to expand their services even further, with aspirations of decreasing financial barriers that aspiring therapists in the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community face through their Scholarship Fund. Only 17% of therapists in the United States are BIPOC, and only 3% of US therapists identify as Black or African American, according to studies completed by the American Psychological Association. BIPOC individuals are oftentimes unable to successfully complete therapy programs due to financial barriers on both the undergraduate and graduate levels in regards to tuition, and The Loveland Foundation wishes to combat this particular area of stress and support those aspiring to become therapy professionals through this rising Scholarship Fund.
I came across The Loveland Foundation in 2020 as both a senior in high school and as someone who was becoming increasingly passionate about mental health awareness and advocacy, for herself and for others. When I initially saw one of their Instagram posts and did some further investigation into their account, website, and mission, I could tell this particular non-profit was truly changing lives and inspiring both individuals and communities alike. As part of my goal to donate the $100 I received from family members as celebration of my graduation to Black-owned businesses and non-profit organizations around the country, I donated $20 to The Loveland Foundation that 30th of May. It wasn’t much, but it was something, and I hope in the future to be able to give a more impactful donation and fundraise amongst my friends and community as well.
You can check out and contribute to The Loveland Foundation by visiting their website, thelovelandfoundation.org.