By the time a child reaches a point of crisis, the need for support is obvious. But for Scilla Andreen, founder of Impactful Fund, the most meaningful work happens much earlier. It tends to be long before a young person feels isolated, overwhelmed, or unseen.
Through the power of storytelling, brain science and human connection, Scilla and her team are helping students develop resilience, emotional awareness, and coping skills that can serve them throughout their lives.
“Stories do something data can't. They make people feel understood. When a student watches one of our films and sees their own experience, the anxiety, the loneliness, the feeling of not fitting in something shifts. Walls come down. Conversations start. Our films are the doorway. What happens after is where the real change begins. Through guided discussions, brain science, and hands-on activities rooted in CBT, students walk away with tools they can actually use. And it doesn't stop at school. Families get access to the full toolkit at home — the films, the tools, everything. They can watch together, explore at their own pace, and start conversations that might never have happened otherwise. No special training required. Just a movie and an open mind.” says Scilla.
For years, Scilla has used film and storytelling to spark conversations around topics that are often difficult to discuss. Through Impactful Fund’s educational programs and resources, schools and organizations are given tools that encourage empathy, understanding, and meaningful dialogue. Rather than focusing solely on intervention after problems arise, the organization emphasizes prevention by helping young people build emotional strength before they reach a breaking point.
That work has found a local home through partnerships with several Bellevue schools, where Impactful Fund’s mission aligns with a growing recognition that student wellness extends beyond academics. Emotional well-being, social connection, and a sense of belonging are all critical ingredients in helping children succeed.
According to Scilla, “Prevention is our sweet spot. We get into classrooms before kids hit a wall, so they already have the tools when life gets hard. Mental health education should be as normal as teaching kids to brush their teeth. It shouldn't wait until something goes wrong.”
In today's fast-paced and often digitally connected world, many children are facing challenges that previous generations never experienced. Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and disconnection have become increasingly common. Scilla believes storytelling offers something powerful in response: the ability to help people recognize themselves in others.
Scilla created The Creative Coping Toolkit working with some of the most recognized mental health institutions in the country. It has now evolved into a world class, evidence-based film program with its roots in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
“Most programs give students information. We create experiences that stay with them. The Creative Coping Toolkit blends award-winning films, brain science, and CBT-based activities into one program that works for students, educators, families, and entire school communities. It's currently part of a two-year federally funded study and the results are reinforcing what schools have been telling us for years: this works.” says Scilla.
While the topics address mental health, social media, bullying and technology, Scilla’'s vision extends beyond solving problems. At its core, the organization is focused on helping young people understand their brains, connect and flourish.
That means equipping students with tools they can carry into adulthood: empathy, communication, self-awareness, and the confidence to ask for help when they need it. It also means fostering communities where children know they belong.
In many ways, the work mirrors what families hope to provide at home: a foundation of love, understanding, and support that allows children to face life's inevitable challenges with courage.
According to Scilla, “You are not broken. You are human. Every student will face hard moments. Every family will go through something difficult. That's life. But when kids understand how their brains work, have real coping tools, and feel genuinely connected to the people around them they can get through almost anything. My hope is that every student leaves our program knowing three things: they matter, they belong, and they are not alone.”
As conversations around youth mental health continue to evolve, Scilla remains optimistic. She believes that meaningful change doesn't always begin with grand gestures. Sometimes it starts with a story, a conversation, or simply creating a space where a child feels understood.
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson behind Impactful Fund’s work: resilience isn't built in moments of crisis. It is built every day, through connection, compassion, and the stories that remind us we belong.
“If you're a parent, an educator, or someone who cares about kids in our community you can help right now. Tell your principal or school counselor about us. That one conversation could bring this program to your school. Or visit impactfulfund.org to support bringing it to a district near you.” says Scilla.
Scilla Andreen is the founder of both Impactful Fund and Impactful Networks. Impactful Networks develops and delivers evidence-backed mental health education through its creative storytelling and learning platform, while Impactful Fund is the nonprofit arm that helps fund access to those programs for schools and communities that otherwise couldn't afford them.
To learn more or to support Impactful Fund, visit impactfulfund.org or email us at hello@impactfulfund.org.
Mental health education should be as normal as teaching kids to brush their teeth. It shouldn't wait until something goes wrong.