Dear Acknowledge Alliance family,
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026! As we begin the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the work we accomplished together in 2025 and to share how Acknowledge Alliance continues to show up for our community during both hopeful and challenging times.
This past year reinforced just how essential our mission is in shaping the future, one student and teacher at a time. Across our community and school partnerships, we remained deeply committed to supporting the mental health and resilience of youth, educators, and families - especially as many communities faced increasing stress and hardship. We directly reached 1,554 youth and educators across 27 schools and organizations (and we reached an additional 11,000 students through our work with teachers, which benefits all of their classrooms). Our counselors provided 453 individual and 31 family counseling sessions that led to noted improvements in students’ coping skills, self-reflection, social interactions, and emotional regulation. We also provided more support to educators than ever before - holding 4,000 consultation sessions (including 23 life-saving crisis intervention sessions). This was a remarkable 350% increase from four years ago! I am continually inspired by the compassion and dedication of our staff, partners, and supporters who step forward every day to ensure young people and the adults who care for them feel seen and valued.
In 2025, we deepened our involvement in regional collaborations and systems-level work. I am honored that Acknowledge Alliance was invited to join Thrive Alliance, the coalition of Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) in San Mateo County as part of the Children & Childcare Committee. We are proud to contribute our expertise to this group of dynamic nonprofit and public agency leaders that is focused on addressing gaps in disaster resilience. In addition, I was asked to serve on the Children’s Health Council (CHC) Leadership Collaborative Advisory Group, a group of local leaders and experts focused on youth mental health and suicide prevention. While it is heartbreaking that youth suicide rates in Santa Clara County did not decrease last year, these collaborations are vital spaces for shared learning, advocacy, and action. Alongside our partners, we are doing everything possible to preserve funding, coordinate services, reduce stigma, and support families, educators, and students. We continue to advocate for proven strategies, including psychoeducation for parents and students, peer-led efforts to reduce stigma, and strong social-emotional learning programs that equip young people with tools for emotional regulation and help-seeking. We are also listening to our youth, who have helped us understand that young people engaged in sports will more often reach out to a teammate when in crisis. This valuable insight can help adults plan future suicide prevention efforts that center youth voices.
Our team also engaged in new ways of connecting with the broader community. Members of our Board and staff enjoyed sharing information about our services and meeting community members at the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival and the Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run over the summer. Our staff also continued to represent Acknowledge Alliance in important professional spaces. One highlight was our participation in a convening of school-based mental health providers hosted by CASSY: Counseling and Support Services for Youth. One of our mental health clinicians, Marta Franca, attended and connected with county leaders, district partners, and fellow clinicians - strengthening our presence and voice within the broader school-based mental health community.
We were thrilled to welcome two new Board members in 2025: Mary Martin and Steve Martinez. Mary and Steve bring a wealth of experience, insight, and commitment to community well-being, and we are grateful for the leadership and perspective they add to Acknowledge Alliance. Our Board’s ongoing engagement remains a critical part of our strength and sustainability.
Although the challenges are real and at times overwhelming, I remain hopeful. I see hope in collaboration, in honest conversations, and in the consistent, compassionate work of professionals deeply committed to helping our young people thrive. As we move into 2026, Acknowledge Alliance remains steadfast in our commitment to helping create safe, compassionate, and nurturing educational environments where everyone can feel cared for and resilient. We are nurturing today’s teachers to build tomorrow’s leaders.
Thank you for standing with us and for being part of the Acknowledge Alliance family. I wish you and your loved ones health, connection, and peace in the year ahead.