We have a new name!
The Chris Center is now Kindling Minds!
Read about out new name here.
We have a new name! The Chris Center is now Kindling Minds! Read about out new name here.
Kind Minds. Resilient Futures.
Better Youth Mental Wellness.
Sparking Connection and Igniting Hope in Youth Mental Wellness in Central Indiana Through Research-Informed Programs Rooted in Connection.
We recognize that the world is a complex, confusing, and chaotic place for teens and pre-teens to navigate. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide are soaring. In some ways, society has never been more connected through 24/7 technology, and yet, young people feel increasingly disconnected and isolated. Unsurprisingly, today’s challenges have had a negative impact on youth mental wellness.
To be honest, our students say it better than we do
“We are struggling mentally. We need you to fix this. Now. It is urgent. So please take the stories back to your meetings and to all of the people you work with and please fix this. We need you.”
- University High School Student
We See You. We Hear You.
We’re Here to Partner With You.
Kindling Minds is Here
to Help Indiana’s Youth Reconnect—
with themselves, others, and the world around them.
We partner with schools and community organizations to provide research-informed programs that foster meaningful connections with animals, nature, and art.
Our programs are designed to encourage empathy and resilience, and give preteens and teens a place to belong. We also give young people access to a range of tools that will help them pursue mental wellness both now and in the future.
Find Out More About Our
Youth Mental Wellness Programs
PAWS Wellness Support Program
Providing opportunities for youth to interact with registered handler/dog teams, reduce stress, foster social connection, and bring joy.
Alpaca Farm Experience
Providing opportunities for youth to interact with registered handler/dog teams, reduce stress, foster social connection, and bring joy.
Mindful Arts Program
A dynamic wellness initiative that helps middle and high school students flourish both mentally and emotionally through the beauty of nature and creative artmaking.
Kindling the Flame and Having a
Positive Impact on Youth Mental Wellness
1,484+
Students Served
(2021-2024)
702+
Staff Served
(2021-2024)
11,593+
Student-Dog Interactions
(2021-2024)
10+
School Partnerships
4,736%
Increase in Students Served
(since 2021)
"It is people like you that will make a difference in the adolescent mental health crisis and change the lives of many through the power of the human-animal connection."
- University High School Senior and PAWS Wellness Support Dog Handler
Be a Spark That Ignites Change
in youth mental wellness.
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