On April 2, a team from UMN Pediatrics received HUP's $50,000 Collaborative Grant for their proposal on "Libraries as Community Spaces to Promote Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing: Evaluating Hennepin County Library’s Drop-In Spaces." The team was selected following the 2024 mixer, which brought Hennepin staff and University researchers to discuss ways of improving mental well being for youth.
Amy Gower and Ingie Osman will lead the research and analysis process, collaborating closely with the Hennepin County Library to effectively study these spaces. This important work will maximize the ways libraries bolster inclusion and youth mental health, above all prioritizing disparity reduction.
HUP's sole grant is made possible through funding by Hennepin County Administration and the UMN Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. By partnering university research capabilities and county administration, initiatives like these will maximize the positive impact in local communities.
Congratulations to the team and their prospective work!