United Way, UNUM, And Hamilton County Schools Celebrate Partnership Creating Calm Spaces for Youth Mental Health 

by | Feb 4, 2025 | Press Release, Volunteering, Youth Success | 0 comments

United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools, and Unum Group have been working together since 2023 to help create calm spaces for local students to bridge the mental health gap in our region. Tennessee ranked 50th in access to care for youth and more than two-thirds of Tennessee youth with clinical depression go untreated, according to the Tennessee Department of Education. Due to this, and thanks to funding from the Unum Healthier Communities Grant, these three partners have created calming rooms and spaces for area students to access whenever they need a break. On January 9, Red Bank High School unveiled their recently renovated Student Support Office, providing a new calming room for their students.   

The newly unveiled Student Support Office at Red Bank High School was once a lounge area with gray walls and a few chairs; now it is an inviting, cozy nook for students to retreat to. Painted with calming blue tones and complete with comfy couches, a beverage station, and dim lighting, the new office space creates a peaceful, set-apart room for students to take a break in. Conveniently, the office is also located near the school counselors’ offices, making it easy for students to find the resources they might need.    

Reflecting on the new space, Lauren Bruce, Student Support Coach at Red Bank High School, said “At Red Bank High, we are committed to holistic well-being: empowering our students to recognize when they are feeling escalated and to know how to respectfully manage those feelings to get back on track. This renovated space will help with that. It is such a gift to see this space utilized daily by a beautifully diverse collection of students from all 4 grades with vastly different personalities. We are endlessly grateful to have generous neighbors who invest in the well-being of our students!”  

This room was revamped thanks to community volunteers, United Way staff, and United Way’s Emerging Leaders. You can see before and after photos here!  

This project series launched in April 2023 when a calm room was created at Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts. Following that, artist Dannita Noble helped renovate a hallway and locker room at Orchard Knob Middle School, and then artist Jerome Foster designed and painted a ‘Calm Corner’ at East Brainerd Elementary High School. The recent renovation of the Student Support Office at Red Bank High School is the fourth in this series of projects, all dedicated to creating more nurturing and functional spaces for students in Hamilton County schools.    

This partnership reflects the shared commitment of United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools, and Unum Group to build a healthier community for local youth. “We are very proud to partner with the United Way of Greater Chattanooga and enhance school spaces that bolster student mental wellbeing,” said Rachel Hargis, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Unum Group. “A critical component of our giving focus is to provide equitable opportunities for students to thrive. We hope this updated space will bring a calming sense of serenity to the students, faculty, and staff at Red Bank High.”   

By enhancing mental health support across Hamilton County Schools, these projects help bridge the regional gap in mental health services and ensure that more students have access to the tools they need to thrive.