One Ministry Focuses on Young Adults

Since 2015, the Foundation has distributed a cumulative total of more than $530,000 to ministries within the Virginia Conference (VAUMC). This year, we awarded a total of $61,128 to 25 grantees. The Young Adults Rise program of Mt. Hermon UMC in Northern Virginia is a current recipient of a Foundation grant.

Twentysomethings are in trouble. Research shows this age group has the highest level of anxiety and depression of any age group in the United States. The impact of these struggles is evident when young adults “fail to launch or return home to live,” often creating significant financial hardship for parents, and when they drop out of the workforce or socially isolate themselves. These struggles can also lead to mental health issues.

The Young Adults Rise (YAR) program at Mt. Hermon UMC is designed to help people in their 20s and 30s in the Shenandoah Valley overcome these struggles. YAR has been adopted by the Shenandoah River District as a district mission. In particular, during the Spring 2025 program provided tools, speakers and peer discussion and social opportunities to up to 13 participants. The YAR team hopes to serve at least three times that number this fall.

The YAR mission is to provide tools, speakers and peer discussion and social opportunities, to help young adults improve their career, social, financial and general wellness (including mental, physical and spiritual wellness) skills. Specifically, the ministry’s team members work to build participants’ life skills and thereby increase their confidence, to aid them in identifying meaning and purpose, and to help them develop the tools to have meaningful and durable relationships. The curriculum is research-based and provides participants with videos, exercises and tools to use outside of the meeting space.

YAR has been well received by the community and the participants, who were all fully engaged. The group consisted primarily of young men in their 20s who were at widely different places in their lives. Yet, even very early in the program, they were engaged and willing to share and be honest and vulnerable on very personal topics. Truly amazing for a group that has been raised to present their best self to others on social media. The program clearly addressed concerns that were important to all. Peer discussions were open and meaningful and often exceeded the allotted time. In one meeting, a group member stated this is the first time since he’s moved into the area that he has felt he had a community.

The responses to the end-of-program evaluation were strongly favorable, and the team has seen positive behavior changes in the short time together. For example, one participant plans to return to college. Another has obtained his learner’s permit and has gone from being highly withdrawn to being fully engaged in group discussions. One participant described the experience with YAR, “I believe that making friends/friendships during this program is very important to me as well as others who are also lonely and isolated.”

YAR is a free program for participants. Mt. Hermon UMC relies solely on donations and grants to fund our costs. The Foundation’s grant covered a significant portion of the $4,500 cost of the nine-week spring 2025 program. This fall they plan on running three programs in the Shenandoah Valley that will enable us to serve a wider group of young adults, giving them an opportunity to connect with others in their age group who face similar challenges in life. Mt. Hermon UMC is very grateful to the Foundation for providing major financial impetus to this pilot program.

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The Foundation’s grant season typically opens on September 1 with the final deadline for submissions closing on October 31 of each year. More information on our grants is available here.

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