GCORR awards grants to expand mental health support for historically underserved communities in the U.S.

By: Jeehye Kim, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, General Commission on Religion and Race | Email

Editor note: The following press release was sent on September 1, 2026 by the General Commission on Religion and Race.

The General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church (GCORR) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 CORR Action Fund (CAF) Grant program, an initiative dedicated to expanding mental health support for historically underserved communities.

Recognizing that access to quality mental health services is often limited by systemic, economic, and cultural factors, this twelve-month grant seeks initiatives that enable communities to overcome these barriers through the provision of education, life skills, and tools to cope more effectively.

“I am inspired by the breadth and depth of mental health projects that we were able to award funds through this grant cycle,” said Rev. Alka Lyall, CAF Chair. “We are proud to resource our United Methodist ministries demonstrating Wesleyan holiness through critical care in these times of need. We look forward to witnessing the fruits of this labor and celebrating the difference the grant will make for these communities.”

The CORR Action Fund Grant program exemplifies GCORR's dedication to promoting culturally appropriate practices and embracing diversity within the United Methodist Church. The recipients of this grant will make meaningful strides in enhancing mental health awareness and wellness, ultimately contributing to a stronger, more compassionate community.

Click here for more information about the CORR Action Fund.

Information on grants awarded to ministries in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines will be released next week.

Brief descriptions of each funded project follow:

The Healing Bridge

Virginia Conference

Awarded $10,000

The Healing Bridge project will turn a 20-year-old ESL ministry into a mental health hub for at least 100 refugees and immigrants, offering counseling and education in participants' native languages. It will train ESL teachers and peer leaders in Mental Health First Aid and build a lasting multilingual "Teacher's Care Toolkit."

Our Shared History

California-Nevada Conference

Awarded $9,500

Our Shared History will expand its annual Community Film Series to address race-based trauma and mental health among Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Asian, and other communities of color. Over the grant year, 6-10 films exploring these communities' histories and struggles will be screened, possibly including a new outdoor summer series.

Judgement Call: Mental Health Ministry in Rural Church Communities as Ministry of Reconciliation

North Carolina Conference

Awarded $5,500

Judgement Call will train more than 45 congregations in and around Oxford to become trauma-informed, mental-health-competent hubs for their community. The initiative will build a collaborative church network offering shared ministries, conferences, and summits to reduce stigma and extend care beyond any single church.

Iglesias Sanas Unidas (Healthy Churches United)

Eastern PA and Greater NJ Conferences

Awarded $10,000

Iglesias Sanas Unidas will equip Hispanic/Latine clergy and ministry leaders across two conferences to address mental health stigma and support their congregations. The program includes a bilingual awareness townhall, a regional training summit in Philadelphia, partner-provided bilingual resources, and ongoing virtual well-being circles, with an option for Psychological First Aid certification.

Leadership Launch Live - Leadership Development Initiative

Arkansas Conference

Awarded $10,000

Leadership Launch Live will help 25 community members from the BCD Empowerment Center, Hoover UMC, and the 12th Street Corridor community grow in spiritual formation, leadership, and community engagement.

Grief, Loss & End-of-Life Wellness at the Table

Upper New York Conference

Awarded $8,500

Grief, Loss and End-of-Life Wellness at the Table will add grief counseling, social work support, and end-of-life planning education to Emmanuel's existing monthly community meals over twelve months. Licensed professionals will be on-site to support unhoused and other vulnerable individuals facing grief and loss in a natural, relational setting.

Durham's Maternal Stress-Free Zone Partnership Initiative

Upper New York Conference

Awarded $9,250

Durham's Maternal Stress-Free Zone Partnership Initiative will add grief support groups, one-on-one counseling, and monthly healing sessions to an existing weekly program for mothers and families in Durham experiencing loss. A partner church will also help connect this work with a related community in East Side Buffalo.

Parents First Initiative - Baggett Elementary

North Georgia Conference

Awarded $10,000

The Parents First Initiative will run a new 10-week parenting cohort at Baggett Elementary School, equipping up to 25 parents with tools to support their children's development. The fully funded program includes trained facilitators, materials, childcare, shared meals, and a graduation ceremony, plus survey-based tracking of outcomes.

Pathways to Care Coalition

Florida Conference

Awarded $10,000

The Pathways to Care Coalition will build a mental health diversion program that redirects people with mental illness or substance use challenges from jail into community-based treatment. Funding will mainly support training leaders to advocate for this diversion model with local officials.

Loving Boldly, Serving Joyfully and Leading Courageously to Expand Mental Health Equity

Baltimore-Washington Conference

Awarded $10,000

Loving Boldly, Serving Joyfully and Leading Courageously to Expand Mental Health Equity addresses mental health disparities tied to systemic inequity, stigma, and lack of culturally responsive care. Building on the GCORR Ministry Model, it will strengthen communities through justice, inclusion, leadership development, and sustainable partnerships.

The R.O.A.D. to Mental Wellness

South Georgia Conference

Awarded $9,800

The R.O.A.D. to Mental Wellness uses the R.O.A.D. Model (Resilience, Outreach, Awareness, and Development), a trauma-informed framework guiding individuals and families toward mental wellness. It includes a community health fair, quarterly workshops, a mindfulness-based SoulCare series, and skill-building opportunities for sustaining mental health strategies.

Healing Our Community - Expanding Trauma-Informed Mental Wellness Education in Dallas African American Faith Community

Horizon Texas Conference

Awarded $10,000

Healing Our Community, St. Luke's structured 12-month program, has four components: an 8-session TAMAR trauma-informed education series delivered in two bilingual cohorts, an enhanced monthly mental health support group, training and certification of lay facilitators through its Greenhouse/Soul Ambassador model, and access to licensed counselors and coaches for one-on-one support.

Sacred Healing Spaces

Iowa Conference

Awarded $9,500

Sacred Healing Spaces will host bi-monthly trauma-informed healing circles and train a cohort of pastors in intercultural competency and mental health over four sessions. The initiative will also build referral alliances with diverse mental health professionals and partner with the Iowa International Center on multilingual resources.

Downtown Mental Health Cohort - A Trauma-Informed Community Mental Health Initiative

Tennessee Western Kentucky Conference

Awarded $10,000

Memphis First United Methodist Church will launch the Downtown Mental Health Cohort, a trauma-informed effort addressing mental health disparities among unhoused, low-income, and racially marginalized neighbors. Building on existing meal and outreach ministries, it will add structured mental health education, accompaniment, and referral pathways.