MVEF has purchased over 7800 Snacks this Year, Allocated $7500

Four years ago, the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation (MVEF) embraced a powerful truth: for children to learn, they must first feel safe, seen, and supported. That belief became a call to action. Since then, MVEF has proudly partnered with Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation to implement and sustain the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) program across all five schools—from elementary to high school, including programs for students with special needs.

TBRI is more than just a strategy—it’s a compassionate, neuroscience-based framework designed to support the emotional well-being of students, especially those who have experienced adversity or trauma. This trauma-informed approach empowers educators, staff, and families to connect with students through understanding rather than punishment, and regulation rather than reaction.

Over the past four years, MVEF has invested deeply in this vision. The Foundation has helped underwrite and support the costs of professional development and staff training so that teachers and staff across the district can become a healing presence in each child’s life. Teachers and administrators have participated in immersive workshops, while parents have been invited into the process through family-focused training sessions. Each element is part of a broader initiative—one that places student mental health and emotional resilience at the core of learning.

One small but powerful example of this commitment lies in the thousands of snacks MVEF has provided—over 7,800 this year alone, and nearly 20,000 last year. It is not an inexpensive commitment of $7500 a year. We see this as an encouraging indicator of the program’s impact whereas more parents are making sure their child comes to school with a snack each day. These snacks play a critical role in the “regulation” component of TBRI. For many students, something as simple as a bag of pretzels or goldfish helps stabilize blood sugar, reduce irritability, and prepare the brain for focus and connection. It’s a small act with a big impact—and just one of the many tangible ways TBRI is being put into action in Mt. Vernon classrooms every day.

The ripple effects are undeniable. Students are finding their voices. Relationships between teachers and students are growing stronger. Classrooms are becoming safe spaces where children feel seen, supported, and understood—not just academically, but emotionally. And families are learning how to carry these same principles into their homes.

At the heart of it all is a foundation that believes in the power of people, connection, and community. MVEF’s investment in TBRI is not just about funding a program—it’s about transforming lives.
One snack. One training. One relationship at a time.