The mission at Suncoast Credit Union Foundation is to promote the education, health, and emotional well-being of the children in the communities it serves. So they understood the importance of the link between social-emotional learning and a strong, prepared workforce. That’s why the Foundation gave Lee County schools a grant to fund a prevention specialist position and provide Second Step kits for every grade level in their K–8 schools.

Cindy Helton, executive director at the Suncoast Foundation, explained, ”The workforce needs to have these skills available to them so they do know how to work together, they do know how to problem-solve, they do know how to show their coworkers empathy. It’s not a short-term fix. It’s a long-term fix.”