This grant provides general operating support for Kids In Crisis (KIC), the only agency in CT that provides free, 24/7 crisis intervention, counseling and comprehensive therapeutic emergency shelter for newborns to 18-year-olds of any race, religion, ethnicity, community of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic level. A leader in mental health education, KIC provides community-based crisis and violence prevention education as well as counseling and intervention programs in 29 elementary, middle and high schools across southwest CT. It also operates a restorative justice program, a safe space support program for LGBTQ+ teens, a social-emotional learning program and an onsite mental health counseling program at a local Boys and Girls Club. KIC’s growth mindset, strategic planning and real-time responsiveness have enabled it to continue meeting the needs of its community as demographics and government policies evolved over the last 44 years.