#SpotlightOnCLT Mental Health: Guide to Nonprofits
Each month, SHARE Charlotte provides a series of highlights on local nonprofits who are doing great work for a cause that may be close to your heart. We call this series #SpotlightOnCLT and we hope it helps you get involved in ways that matter most to you - you can attend events, donate, or volunteer! Most of all, our goal is for you to be more educated about issues in our city and region.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month - a time to break the silence, shatter stigma, and uplift the voices and organizations working to support mental well-being in our community. We’re proud to highlight these organizations - and how you can connect with them - for our #SpotlightOnCLT Mental Health, presented by McLeod Centers for Wellbeing.
Find Mental Health Events Here!
McLeod plays a vital role in supporting mental health by offering comprehensive, evidence-based treatment for individuals facing substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health challenges. Their integrated approach addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of recovery, fostering long-term healing and resilience. You'll learn more about their work through the month!
Across the Charlotte region, incredible nonprofits are showing up every day to provide compassionate care, critical resources, and a path to healing for children, families, and individuals. Meet them below!
Note: By clicking the buttons for each organization, you can access contact information, volunteer interest forms, social media pages, and upcoming events. We hope you will!
Agape Christian Counseling
Agape Christian Counseling provides professional therapy services to the Charlotte area, specializing in play therapy, couples counseling, talk therapy, EFT, and EMDR. While we meet individuals where they are, we offer a Christian perspective upon request. We are committed to making mental health support accessible, offering no- to low-cost counseling for those facing financial or insurance-related barriers.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Our North Carolina Chapter carries out this mission engaging with the diverse communities across our state thanks to our incredible, passionate & dedicated volunteers.
Brave Step
Brave Step empowers survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones through trauma-informed mental health services, peer support, and education. We provide therapy, workshops, and community outreach to build resilience, foster healing, and promote long-term wellness.
Bright Side Youth Ranch
Bright Side Youth Ranch is a safe place where hurting kids and teens can find hope. Bright Side offers One-on-One Mentoring Sessions, as well as group sessions, for children and teens feeling overwhelmed by their emotions or problems. We serve the next generation, ages 8-18 years old, who are experiencing crisis, trauma, and both ongoing and current life challenges. Those can range from anxiety, depression, anger, abuse, trauma, neglect, loss, self-harm, behavioral issues, chronic illness, to living in a high-risk environment, or any combination of above. When we invest in the lives of children and teens, we have the opportunity to impact their future. What is packed into their hearts now is what they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Through the mentoring sessions, we can give children and teens someone who cares, and we can love them before they love themselves.
Charlie's Heart Foundation
Charlie’s Heart Foundation supports the emotional and mental health of underserved families by funding holistic, community-based programs. Since 2017, the foundation has granted over $700,000 to nonprofits across the Carolinas and beyond, all in memory of Charlie Holt, with the goal of fostering lasting, positive change.
Charlotte Clubhouse
Charlotte Clubhouse offers a welcoming, inclusive space for adults with mental illness to find purpose, build community, and lead fulfilling lives. Through a structured, work-ordered day, members gain valuable life skills, connect with resources, and pursue their personal goals—all in a supportive, empowering environment.
Despierta
Despierta transforms the lives of Latina youth and women through mental health and educational programs, empowering them to develop their talents and become leaders within their communities. Through support groups such as Bonita Rising for students grades 6th through 12th, Bonita Mama for Teen Mothers and Mujer Despierta for women who are 18 and older and have been in Charlotte for less than five years. While providing free access to counseling and resources through community workshops and case management.
Emerald School of Excellence
Emerald School of Excellence is Charlotte’s accredited recovery high school, serving grades 9–12. We offer a supportive, personalized academic environment for students overcoming substance use and mental health challenges, helping them achieve long-term recovery and academic success. Emerald is the first school of its kind in North Carolina and one of only eight accredited in the U.S.
Gladys Love Project
Gladys Love Project supports the mental health of elders and caregivers by offering mindful, creative experiences that combat isolation and burnout. Our Caregiver Tea support group provides a safe, nurturing space for connection, while our Love Kits encourage meaningful interactions between elder residents and staff. We also host Lunch-n-Learns with seniors and create heartfelt portraits of elders and caregivers—reminding each person that they are seen, valued, and loved.
KinderMourn
Since 1978, KinderMourn has provided a safe, healing space for Charlotte families grieving the loss of a child or loved one. Through grief counseling, support groups, and community outreach, we offer hope and healing to bereaved parents, children, and teens navigating profound loss.
Mending Strides Ranch
Mending Strides Ranch offers equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning for individuals ages 10 and up, including foster youth, veterans, and first responders. Our trauma-informed programs support healing from anxiety, PTSD, and depression while promoting resilience, confidence, and emotional growth.
Mental Health America of Central Carolinas
Mental Health America of Central Carolinas promotes mental wellness through education, peer support, and advocacy. We empower individuals and families by raising awareness, connecting them to resources, and breaking down stigma—so everyone has the support they need to thrive emotionally and mentally.
Mentally Shredded Foundation
The Mentally Shredded Foundation advocates for mental health, prevents burnout among mental health professionals, and empowers individuals through education, community engagement, and wellness initiatives. We serve those navigating mental health challenges and the frontline professionals supporting them. Through programs like Mentally Shredded RX, Wellness Reset retreats, and Stories of Triumph, we create spaces that promote healing, resilience, and hope.
Mind Body Baby bridges the knowledge & nurturing gap that exists for many new and expectant families, so they are able to focus their valuable mental energy on taking care of their babies, during the most vital period of brain development of their lives. We are the first organization of our kind in Charlotte focused on social emotional wellbeing in new families, the root of thriving early development.
Mission 34
Mission 34 is dedicated to erasing the stigma around mental illness by fostering open dialogue and raising awareness. We equip college and community chapters with tools to normalize mental health conversations and host events for all ages. Our motto, “A New Type of Tough,” reminds us that asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness.
Mitchell's House
A project of Mitchell’s Fund, Mitchell’s House provides free or low-cost counseling and play therapy for children facing life-threatening illnesses and their families. As the first nonprofit of its kind in the U.S., we focus on healing the entire family from medical trauma by fostering emotional resilience and offering a safe, supportive space to process difficult experiences.
Psychology For All
Psychology For All delivers free counseling services to under-resourced adults in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area through partnerships with licensed clinicians and community referral agencies. Since 2015, we’ve worked to bridge the mental health gap by providing equitable access to therapy and promoting mental health awareness.
Sanctuary Counseling Group
Sanctuary Counseling Group is a Charlotte-based nonprofit offering compassionate, accessible mental health therapy to individuals of all ages. We provide both individual and group counseling and are committed to ensuring that financial hardship or lack of insurance never stands in the way of healing.
SociaLight Stars
SociaLight Stars educates youth and communities about the mental health impact of social media trauma and cyberbullying. Through workshops, podcasts, and media outreach, we promote digital citizenship, mindfulness, and healthy online habits to foster emotional wellness in the digital age.
In March of 2023, the Steve Smith Foundation opened up Mecklenburg County’s first Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC), operated by Daymark Recovery Services. The BHUC provides 24/7/365 mental health and substance use disorder services to the community, no matter age or insurance coverage. We bridge significant gaps in mental health and wellness through collaborative partnerships which foster the potential and wellbeing of families and underserved communities.
The FACTS Initiative
The FACTS Initiative delivers trauma-informed mental health care to children and families affected by poverty, violence, and adversity. Through partnerships with local organizations, we offer compassionate, culturally sensitive therapy that promotes healing, builds resilience, and improves long-term well-being.
Therapy Resource Group
Therapy Resource Group provides high-quality, affordable mental health services to individuals seeking healing and safety. We specialize in evidence-based approaches like EMDR, TF-CBT, and Brainspotting, and in 2024 alone, delivered over 2,000 free or reduced-cost therapy sessions to clients in need.
Thompson Child & Family Focus
Thompson is dedicated to rewriting the narratives of the most vulnerable in our community by focusing on prevention, foster care, and mental health services. We provide comprehensive, evidence-based services and trauma-informed care for children (ages 0-18) and their families with the intention of building resilience in our clients. As a solutions-driven organization, Thompson believes that changing lives changes everything.
Youth Meditation
Youth Meditation empowers children with practical tools for emotional resilience through mindfulness and meditation. By teaching young people to manage stress, build self-awareness, and cultivate healthy relationships, we help them thrive emotionally, socially, and mentally.