See Beautiful Grant Recipient: Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation

The feature below is brought to you by Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation, an organization that has received a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about our giving initiatives, please click here.
 
To learn more about the featured organization, please visit their website here.

The Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation was created in February 2017 to carry on the memory and legacy of Kristen Amerson. Kristen never got the chance to meet her potential or to find her purpose. Her family vowed to keep her spirit alive, which is the inspiration for the Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation.

Kristen Amerson was a beautiful young lady who loved experimenting with fashion, make-up, and hairstyles. She was the only girl in a household with three brothers and one of her favorite activities was playfully teasing her brothers. Anyone who knew Kristen could see how gifted she was, and how much of a gift she was to both her family and her community. Kristen ended her life on Thursday, April 10th, 2014, at the young age of 11. Suicide amongst youth always leaves the family and loved ones wondering what more could have been done, and Kristen’s family is no different. There was never a point when Kristen’s family pictured life without her. She was a given, and they never thought she would not be with them. With increasing awareness of youth suicide, it is understood that no one can know the truth of what an individual is experiencing.

Kristen’s life was just beginning, and she never got the chance to meet her potential or find her purpose, but her life has inspired the formation and work of the Kristen Amerson Youth Foundation to spread awareness of issues including youth suicide, mental illness, trauma, and bullying. The hope of the organization lies in its ability to impact the lives of the local community and underserved youth who need support.

The Kristen Amerson Youth Foundations believes that everyone’s life is beautiful and worth living. While our main focus is youth and adolescents, we value those above this particular age group and their lives. We understand that life is hard, and it has its challenges. We believe in equipping youth and adolescents with resources and tools to realize that life can be beautiful. The stories that we hear during events or lessons are not the easiest. When you hear of a child contemplating taking their life or dealing with issues that a child should not have to face, it pushes us to further our mission.

Life is made to be beautiful and to be enjoyed by all. We will not stop promoting healthier lives for youth. We understand the importance of our youth and adolescents and the impact that they can make in this world. It is our hope that as they matriculate through life, they are equipped to handle whatever they face. Be it societal issues, mental health issues, or even familial issues, they will have the necessary tools to assess the situation and be able to seek help if necessary. Life is ever evolving, and this is why at a young age, our youth and adolescents should be informed of healthy resources and skills to endure an ever changing world. Change can be a great thing and with change, a beautiful life shall be lived. 

Submitted by: ​Jasmine B. Knox

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