Front Porch Improv Hosts Dinner Fundraiser to Support Youth Mental Health Program – Night for Resilient A.C.T.S.

Tuesday, September 24th, 2024

Front Porch Improv is excited to announce Night for Resilient A.C.T.S., a special dinner fundraiser to support the Front Porch A.C.T.S. program, dedicated to improving the mental health of youth in Savannah and across Georgia. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 24th at ChaBella.

Front Porch A.C.T.S. (Adolescents & Children Transforming Savannah) is a unique initiative combining improv theater with trauma-informed care, helping hundreds of youth in schools, shelters, and community centers develop essential life skills and build emotional resilience. Through creative expression, the program helps children and adolescents heal from traumatic experiences such as abuse, neglect, and violence.

The upcoming dinner will raise funds to expand the program’s reach and provide more youth with access to this life-changing intervention. Front Porch A.C.T.S. offers a safe, supportive space where young people can explore creativity, develop communication and problem-solving skills, and process their emotions in a healthy way.

“With ACTS, we lead with fun,” said ACT Instructor Dan Gilbert, “and from there, we're able to accomplish the therapeutic objectives that make this program so impactful and important.” With 1 in 5 youth in Georgia experiencing serious mental health challenges, programs like Front Porch A.C.T.S. are critical in addressing the state’s youth mental health crisis.

Event Details:

Event Name: Night for Resilient A.C.T.S.
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Location: Cha Bella, Savannah, GA
Award Recipients:

Molly Lieberman — Loop it Up
Sylvia Spaulding — Youth Intercept
Chief Taffanye Young — City of Savannah
Vira Salzburn- Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council

Why Improv Matters for Youth Mental Health

Improv theater is not only enjoyable, but it provides youth affected by trauma with a valuable opportunity to build confidence, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills. Front Porch A.C.T.S. serves as a crucial intervention for youth in Georgia, a state that faces one of the highest youth suicide rates in the country.

Through the Trauma Drama model, youth can engage in improvisational activities that foster resilience and emotional healing. As part of a collaboration with Chatham Safety Net, Front Porch Improv offers this program in schools, community centers, and youth shelters across Chatham County.

How to Get Involved

Help us expand Front Porch A.C.T.S. and bring this impactful program to more communities across Georgia! Your support through donations or sponsorships will help train more facilitators, offer scholarships, and reach youth who need it most. Together, we can help Georgia’s youth heal, grow, and thrive.

To donate or learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at [email protected].