Tykes and Teens celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a fiesta of flavor as Chef Leanne Kelleher of The Tides demonstrated via Zoom how to cook an authentic Mexican meal from the home of Linda Kloss.
Attendees had been offered the option of purchasing a custom box with all of the ingredients to prepare ceviche, chips and queso, mojo marinated chicken fajitas and margaritas, or of purchasing their own ingredients and joining in on Zoom to view the recipes and procedures.
Milton Banner and Claudia Arens assisted Kelleher, as event sponsors participating in person sampled the sizzling selection of ‘muy buena comida’ that the chef whipped up for the Zoom audience. While Kelleher isn’t known for Mexican cuisine at her much-admired restaurant, the silence that filled the room as guests sampled the meal spoke volumes.
Kelleher said she has a soft spot for programs that support children and when approached, admitted that she was excited about the challenge and was interested in doing something fun.
However, what it really boiled down to, said Kelleher, was contributing to a cause that helped children, particularly as they navigate through the turmoil of the pandemic.
“I had a great childhood. Not everyone is as lucky as I was. I had great parents, and I do this and things like it to honor my parents,” said Kelleher, before turning up the heat in the kitchen to do what she does best.
Proceeds from the event will support the mental health services offered by Tykes & Teens.
Courtney Nientimp, Tykes & Teens development officer, explained that many of their clients cannot meet the co-payments or deductibles for services and that fundraising events such as this help to fill the gap between the actual cost and what the insurance company pays.
Their mission is to prioritize children’s mental health in families, schools and communities through prevention, education and treatment programs, as well as mental health counseling, outreach and advocacy. That critical support provides hope, enriches families and strengthens youth through direct care and prevention programs.
“We provide mental health counseling to children and families along the Treasure Coast and have been doing so for the past 25 years,” said Eric Garza, Tykes & Teens CEO, thanking participants for their support. “This is our first fundraising event in Indian River County.”
“We’ve seen a 300 percent increase in demand for services during COVID,” said Nientimp. “Fortunately, we were able to pivot quickly and within 48 hours [of pandemic closures] were able to provide services virtually.”
Even now that in-person counseling is possible, they plan to continue offering services virtually, which will enable their therapists to reach children over the summer, when their in-school services would otherwise be eliminated.
“We can reach them all year round. That helps the child keep in touch with their therapists and provides continuity of care, which is key,” added Nientimp.
Tykes & Teens programming, which starts at infancy and goes through adolescence, addresses the family dynamic and parent-child relationships. Locally, partnership programs include Healthy Families, Infant Mental Health, Alternative to Out-of-School Suspension and other school-based programs.
Tykes & Teens, which offers its programs throughout the Treasure Coast, seeks to build a healthy, resilient community by providing high-quality, innovative, evidence-based programs and services, since, as their tagline stresses, “Mental health matters – every day.”
For more information, visit tykesandteens.org.
Photos by Kaila Jones
