When the Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) first envisioned their “Healing the Healers” workshop to support front-line mental health and medical workers in June 2020, little did they know how significant their training would become for a post COVID-19 world.

As Deon C. Jefferson thought about the purpose of BeWellPBC’s Be Well Do Well mini-grants to promote behavioral health and wellness, inspiration struck. That’s not surprising given the talents of this true Renaissance man who is an artist, journalist, singer, and designer.

Imagine a day-long retreat learning resilience and mindfulness techniques surrounded by gentle, majestic horses and grassy pastures. If it lowers your heart rate a bit just by thinking about it, you understand the premise of “Self-Compassion Matters,” a program developed by Dovecot Farm’s co-founder and chief compassion officer, Sarah Palmer.

Kenyon’s idea to create a program to educate and empower Riviera Beach participants with tools and skills to afford them better opportunities began with a simple principle that became the name of his program: “It Starts with Me.” He saw too many residents let circumstances hold them back. “Your mental lens—how you see the world around you—is the springboard to your life,” said Kenyon. “Life may not be fair, but what are you going to do about it? How are you going to create change? It starts with you.”