First Trust Credit Union’s Michigan City branch has been fundraising for their community charity partner, Open Do or Adolescent Health Center
(ODAHC), for almost 8 years. First Trust has raised $12,500 for the organization in total. Open Door is located inside Michigan City High School
and they are dedicated to providing both physical and mental health services to students within the Michigan City Area School District.
According to First Trust’s Marketing Director, Dorene Martinson, First Trust is committed to doing all they can to help Open Door with the finances it takes to educate teens, prevent teen substance abuse, and recently to include aid in the area of mental health issues as well.
“Our main objective is to raise funds that can be utilized for the prevention of adolescent drug and alcohol abuse,” Martinson said. “However, we also know that the Covid pandemic has created an increased need of mental health assistance for our youth as they navigate all the changes the pandemic has brought upon many of them on a personal level.” she added.
Deborah Briggs, Director of ODAHC, thanks First Trust for their continued partnership. Briggs stated, “The funding that ODAHC has received from First Trust directly benefits our students by providing early and continuous intervention screening and prevention services that address substance use, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.” ODAHC provides education, support, and counseling to adolescents dealing with issues
stated above, and also teen pregnancy, anger management, suicide, academics, and more. Briggs stated the organization is hoping to hire two additional Social Workers this fall in order to manage the increasing need of their services.