U.S. Sugar Invests in Transformative Mental Health and Adult Literacy Initiatives in the Glades

New Partnership with the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Lays Foundation for Long-Term Community Impact

WEST PALM BEACH, FL, UNITED STATES, January 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, a nonprofit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofit organizations, and community members to address the region’s chronic and emerging issues, today announced a new investment by U.S. Sugar to strengthen mental health support and expand adult literacy opportunities for families in the Glades. The total investment is approximately $105,000.

With this commitment, U.S. Sugar is forming a strategic partnership with the Community Foundation to address root-cause challenges and build long-term community resilience. With strong agricultural, economic, and cultural ties to the Glades, U.S. Sugar is deepening its community role through a more structured, intentional approach to lasting regional transformation.

“This partnership represents a new chapter for the Glades, one rooted in collaboration, long-term investment, and a shared vision for healthier, stronger families,” said Danita R. DeHaney, president & CEO of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. “U.S. Sugar’s commitment goes beyond a grant. It signals a deeper, strategic role in creating the kind of lasting change this community deserves.”

U.S. Sugar leaders echoed that sentiment: “U.S. Sugar has been part of the Glades community for generations, and we are committed to investing in the long-term success of the families who live and work here,” said Brannan Thomas, Community Relations Director for U.S. Sugar. “By partnering with the Community Foundation, we can support proven programs that strengthen mental health, expand literacy, and create meaningful opportunities for young people and parents alike. This work reflects our belief that strong communities grow from strong families.”

The partnership will fund two high-impact initiatives: Rebound and Recovery Mental Health Initiative and a new Adult Literacy Program that designed to support intergenerational learning and family engagement.

Rebound and Recovery: Strengthening Youth Mental Health

U.S. Sugar’s investment will support the implementation of Rebound and Recovery, an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral program developed by Florida State University (FSU) that improves the emotional and social well-being of adolescents. Delivered at Crossroads Academy, the program will equip students with skills to build resilience, understand the connection between emotions and behavior, manage stress, and improve decision-making. The program is scheduled to begin mid-January 2026 and includes:

-Train-the-Trainer Model for Long-Term Sustainability: Crossroads Academy interventionists, including behavioral health staff, ESOL and ESE coordinators, and school counselors, will complete 15 hours of FSU-led training through after-school sessions and professional development days.

-Student Leadership Development: After completing the curriculum, about ten students will be selected for a Student Train-the-Trainer cohort. These emerging leaders will receive five hours of training to reinforce program messages among peers and help strengthen the overall social-emotional climate of the school.

-Student Sessions: Fifteen structured modules will be delivered during the school day or in after-school programming, covering topics such as emotional-behavior connections, stress management, healthy relationships, problem solving, and recognizing anxiety or depression.

Adult Literacy in the Glades: Strengthening Families Through Education

In addition to youth mental health support, U.S. Sugar is helping expand family-centered literacy initiatives in a region where 47% of third graders read below grade level. Building on the Community Foundation’s $200,000 grant to Boldin Community Impact for after-school literacy programming, U.S. Sugar’s investment supports a new Adult Literacy Program delivered partnership with the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County.

The program provides parents with foundational literacy and language skills, boosting their confidence and strengthening the home-to-school connection. A dedicated Adult Literacy Specialist will oversee all instruction and engagement. The initiative will launch in January 2026 and continue throughout the calendar year.

The program includes three integrated components:

-Parent Learning Academy: Held twice weekly while children participate in Boldin Community Impact’s after-school programming, the Academy provides structured literacy instruction and teaches parents how to support their children’s learning. Each cohort will enroll approximately ten families, with two to three cohorts anticipated in 2026.

-Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time: Twice a week, parents and children participate in guided shared reading, discussions, and hands-on literacy activities. PACT helps families reinforce skills at home and build routines that make reading a meaningful, everyday experience.

-Family Literacy Nights: Hosted quarterly at Pahokee Elementary, these two-hour evening events bring families together for interactive literacy activities, projects, and shared meals. These evenings reinforce skills introduced in the Academy and celebrate family learning.

About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties 
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is a nonprofit organization that leads philanthropy locally. The foundation provides charitable expertise and vehicles to increase the investment options on behalf of individuals, family foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, the foundation has distributed nearly $275 million in grants and scholarships aimed at closing the area’s opportunity gaps. With its vast network of donors and nonprofit partners, the foundation supports initiatives that improve youth and education, economic opportunity, thriving communities, and crisis preparation and response. Learn more at https://yourcommunityfoundation.org.   

About U.S. Sugar
U.S. Sugar is a South Florida-based farming and processing company that sustainably grows sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn and other winter and spring vegetables that feed American families. The company was founded in 1931 by Charles Stewart Mott, a visionary leader who hailed from a long line of farmers. Since the beginning, the company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land. U.S. Sugar also operates a sugar refinery in Savannah, Georgia that produces retail and store-brand sugar for customers throughout the southeast. Along with operating its 300-mile railroad, in total, U.S. Sugar sustainably farms 255,000 acres in Highlands, Glades, Hendry, Palm Beach and Martin counties in Florida and serves as a vital part of our rural communities, providing 3,000 jobs, community leadership, and philanthropic support. For more information, please visit www.ussugar.com.

Melissa Perlman
BlueIvy Communications
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