Exploring the Link Between Financial Health and Mental Wellness

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, NIDC’s Family Support Network (FSN) partnered with District 11 to host a virtual workshop that brought together nearly 100 parents, caregivers, PTA leaders, and Parent Coordinators to talk about a topic that too often goes unspoken: how our finances affect our mental health, and vice versa.

The May 28th event, FSN Mental Health & Financial Empowerment: The Connection, created a welcoming and inclusive space for families to explore the concept of financial trauma and to share their own stories, questions, and challenges. Facilitated by NIDC’s own FSN team, the interactive workshop helped parents understand how financial stress can manifest emotionally and mentally, and how healing those patterns is part of building stronger, healthier families.

Slides were automatically translated into Spanish using a translation tool introduced by the PS 89 Parent Coordinator, and Zoom breakout rooms were created for Arabic, Spanish, and Bengali speakers, ensuring that language was not a barrier to learning or participation.

Parents actively engaged throughout the hour, asking thoughtful questions and offering reflections both aloud and in the chat. One particularly powerful moment came when a parent, newly arrived from another country, asked for mental health resources during the session. This act of courage gave others permission to do the same. The facilitator was able to provide information on Lifeline 988, a 24/7 multilingual crisis line, as well as links to accessible mental health support tools.

District leaders expressed deep appreciation for the workshop’s relevance, inclusivity, and impact, echoing FSN’s belief that mental and financial wellness are essential building blocks of strong communities.

Stay connected with us for more workshops like these, where healing, empowerment, and practical tools come together to uplift Bronx families.