“We partner with others who care about making a difference every day.”
Sheila Griffith
Our dreams…
Mission Statement
To engage and uplift the youth in our communities so that they grow and thrive into their full potential.
Vision Statement
We share actionable skills for improving our physical, nutritional, emotional and relational selves to deeply impact our lives and the communities in which we live.
Purpose
1. To provide mentorship, programming and experiential education in areas where families have a gap of information or resources.
2. To help children and their parents to work together to impact their lives so that they emerge into adulthood with healthy nutrition, emotional and relational skills, a strong mind and body.
3. To allow them to stretch beyond current limitations that are either due to life circumstances, limiting beliefs and mindset or trauma.
Tembea ~ 10 Week, Small Group Program
Adolescent children ages 12-19, their parent, caregiver or teacher.
Small group coaching and programming allows us to easily communicate our perspectives, desires and lives. We know the power of being heard, witnessed and mirrored with people who are in a growth mindset, are open to possibility and listen without judgment or assumptions. We strive to put practical steps into action and celebrate failure, success and resilience.
Mentorship
We don’t get to where we want to go alone. Whether an adolescent has a positive role model or not, we meet them exactly where they are.
Knowing that we all long to be seen for who we are, to be heard and witnessed, we actively listen and we journey together.
It is a scary time for our youth, and for adults. Life as we knew it has changed so drastically.
We know that our mental health is supported by healthy connection.
1. Our whole country is seeing a huge rise in mental health problems with 1 in 4 people having a significant breakdown in their lifetime. Our goal is to catch them earlier than the systems already in placedo, and support non-drug solutions.
2. Eagle County’s unique mountain community leaves many people without family, financial or social support to address their behavioral health needs.
We have had the highest suicides per capita in the past, being 1st and 4th per 100,000, as early as 2018. A 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment Survey shows that our residents still lack affordable and accessible mental health resources.
3. For both sexes in the last 15 years, there has been an almost 50% increase in ADHD and 40% increase in teen depression. Research shows that access to the internet and time spent on social media adversely effects girls and women more than males. Researchers believe that girls are internalizing what they see online. A study of 11,427, 13-15 year-olds showed girls who were “heavy internet users, were 166% more likely to have clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms than low users among girls - compared to 75% more likely among boys.” (Scripps State of Mind Report)
Startling Statistics
Our sense of belonging in community and society is supported by healthy human connection. We aspire to help ourselves and others grow and connect.
The dream of ETJY
Evolve Thrive Joy Youth Non-Profit (Etjoy) was a dream for many years. We could see there was a need to help parents and adolescents get access to hands on, practical health, nutrition and wellness support that is available - in our kitchens - and can be obtained in our homes. That most of us can use a little coaching and mentorship in life from time to time… whether we are educated around the topic or not. It was born after Sheila Griffith sat with many parents on middle school bleachers, in the drama attic at Homestake Peak School while hot gluing her fingers together - LOL - as well as while standing in parking lots listening to the health and wellness needs of parents throughout the Vail Valley. Partially it was born of her own education through health as an adolescent trying to figure out female health solutions, an adult looking for non-drug-based solutions and as a single parent needing support in the valley that lacked access to therapists in the early 2000’s.
She owns, Zeloso Health; A Pilates, Massage and Nutrition Studio which she founded in 1998 and is currently located in Edwards, Colorado.
Sheila brings a high amount of energy, an eye for detail and a tenacity to overcome complex situations in both her personal and professional passions. She is passionate about getting outside on her bicycle, spending time on the river and having epic picnics in nature as often as possible. Carpe diem!
Developmental Director
ETJY is happy to announce that New New Wallace is jumping into the role of Developmental Director as of November, 2022. She brings a long history of non-profit knowledge and expertise which has been invaluable and a real kick in the pants to getting us on more solid footing and visibility for what we love doing the most: Coaching and mentoring humans.
She can be reached at: Newnew@etjoy.org
ETJY Non-Profit History
The official launch was the summer of 2022 and the response to our programming and coaching has been excitement and gratitude for what participants have felt, learned, remembered and initiated in their lives.
Rebekah Kannaly of Eagle County Untied Way and The Youth Closet, has been an ETJoy mentor when it was still a dream. Without her help, we might not be where we are right now. We are so grateful for her cheerleading, reading of our business documents, and overall expertise in best-practices for non-profits.
As of the end of December 2022, we have worked with 16 people in either one on one, or small group programs. Usually people enroll in a series of sessions in order to work towards a goal or outcome. Sometimes they come to a single workshop to break out of an unhealthy pattern or to learn tools and skills that they can use in daily life, in the moment and while interacting with others, at school, home or work.
Our hope is that there is a cumulative effect from our 16 people effecting their friends, family and co-workers.
We are in the process of initiating new programs, learning and expanding our reach weekly. We have just been approved to start a school program and look forward to the update and outcomes of that program soon.
Thank you for taking the time to read and learn about us. We welcome any questions or support.
Sheila Griffith, Executive Director ETJY