Our kids are not OK, and it’s time we started listening.
One in three high school students in the United States experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among these students, only about one-third reported receiving counseling or therapy, while another third reported an unmet need for mental health care. Behind these statistics are young people who are desperate for access to care, connection, and support as they navigate mental health challenges.
In partnership with the Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF), Joe and Sarah Zoretich are taking action to fight these troubling trends.
“We feel it’s important that people realize their words carry weight,” said the Zoretiches. “We never know what someone is going through, but by choosing kindness, you have the ability to add light to someone who may be lost in the dark.”
Emily Zoretich was a ninth-grade high-honor student, involved in Game Club and Stage Crew. Music was a constant in her life, and she loved expressing her creativity wherever she could, especially around the family farm she cherished.
And above all, Emily cared deeply, sharing her soft heart with anyone who needed compassion.
Through conversations with the WCCF, the Zoretiches explored charitable giving options that would best fulfill their vision for Emily’s legacy. Although the couple initially considered a scholarship, their hearts led them to an alternative charitable vehicle that would enable them to annually impact more young lives.
The Emily’s Light: Young Minds Matter Fund was created to support mental health programs serving adolescents and young adults in Washington County, helping to raise awareness of mental wellness and connect young people with needed resources.
The Zoretiches aren’t alone in recognizing what’s at stake when these needs are unmet. The WCCF’s recent strategic planning process and Community Snapshot focus groups also identified mental health as a critical community issue.
Upon creating the Fund, the Zoretiches quickly rallied support from family and friends, raising thousands of dollars to support youth mental health in honor of Emily. Other community members who are passionate about this issue have also generously demonstrated their support.
Through grants to local organizations, the Emily’s Light: Young Minds Matter Fund will help expand access to mental health programs and resources, connecting more young people with the care, connection and support they need to thrive. As the Fund grows, so will the resources available for grantmaking.
The Foundation will announce the Fund’s first competitive grant cycle when it opens in 2027. In the review of applications, special consideration may be given to programs that promote mental wellness or raise awareness that are based in the Christian faith or incorporate the arts, reflecting Emily’s values and interests.
Listening was the first step. Action is the next one.
To learn more or contribute to the Emily’s Light: Young Minds Matter Fund, visit www.wccf.net or call the Foundation at 724-222-6330.
Together, we can provide the light that no young person should ever have to go without.