Educational Institutions

Chester Street Foundation

Shining a light on the invisible wounds of childhood trauma

Houston, TX   |  chesterstreetfoundation.org

Mission

Our mission is to shine a light on the invisible wounds of childhood trauma so that abused children receive the treatment they deserve.

Ruling year info

2018

Founder / CEO

Shawn Alex Nemeth

Main address

2925 Richmond Avenue, Suite 1200

Houston, TX 77098 USA

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EIN

82-1952603

Cause area (NTEE code) info

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (B01)

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (F01)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

More than ever before, mental health researchers and professionals are finding that untreated trauma from child abuse is at the core of a significant number of chronic health issues. Mental health issues have become a widespread problem as evidenced by the rising numbers of stories of suicides and other tragic events that appear daily in our news feeds. However, far too many illnesses are being incorrectly attributed to various conditions when, in fact, they were caused by the untreated trauma of child abuse. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), almost half of the nation’s children have experienced at least one or more types of serious childhood trauma. Even more alarming, nearly one in three U.S. youth ages 12-17 years has experienced two or more types of childhood adversity that are likely to affect their physical and mental health as adults.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

TraumaTalks for Professionals

To educate our community, we have designed our TraumaTALKS program to provide an overview of childhood trauma with the latest academic knowledge against the backdrop of Shawn’s inspirational story. In addition to understanding the science behind the emotional reactions to trauma, audiences will also learn why it’s critical to help children heal from trauma and how they can play a role in changing a child’s life.

Population(s) Served
Academics
Activists

To educate our community, we have designed our TraumaTALKS program to provide an overview of childhood trauma with the latest academic knowledge against the backdrop of Shawn’s inspirational story. In addition to understanding the science behind the emotional reactions to trauma, audiences will also learn why it’s critical to help children heal from trauma and how they can play a role in changing a child’s life.

Population(s) Served
General/Unspecified
Caregivers

For many children suffering from trauma, professionals working with children are often the first adults to recognize the warning signs and take action. This three-four-hour workshop, facilitated by Shawn Alex Nemeth (a trauma survivor), provides professionals with a personal and professional perspective of childhood trauma alongside the latest research and evidenced based tools to help children heal. TraumaTRAININGS help participants more effectively work with traumatized children by: Recognizing the types of trauma and the impact on brain development. Understanding the effects of trauma exposure and its long-term consequences. Accessing tools to promote a sense of safety and help children on their road to recovery. Addressing the impact of secondary trauma and the need for self-care.

Population(s) Served
Academics
Caregivers

Where we work

Photos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of clients participating in educational programs

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

General/Unspecified,At-risk youth,Activists

Related Program

Community TraumaTalks

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Educational talks (In person, vitrtual, and podcasts)

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Charting impact

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Five powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

The mission of the Chester Street Foundation (CSF) is to educate the community about the insidious impacts of trauma during childhood and adolescence. In Texas, almost a quarter of youth have been exposed to at least two or more adverse experiences (i.e., domestic violence, abuse, loss of a parent, a caregiver with chronic substance abuse concerns) annually, with over 60,000 cases of abuse and neglect confirmed statewide (Texas Kids Count, 2018). The physical and emotional scars of abuse and neglect are profound, resulting not only in the immediate expression of disruptive behaviors, post-traumatic stress symptoms, poor school outcomes, toxic stress, or the prolonged activation of the stress response system in the brain and body. We established the Chester Street Foundation to provide a voice for traumatized children and educate our community, particularly those on the front lines of the issue. No child should have to live a life imprisoned by panic, rage, and helplessness. We believe education is a critical component to helping traumatized children on their road to recovery and have designed our education programs for the community at large and professionals who are on the frontlines of this issue, including educators, healthcare professionals, and organizations working with children.

Our strategy to fulfill our mission is to educate our community on the science behind trauma and the ways to help traumatized children heal and recover. It’s not just about hurt feelings and troubling emotions; it’s much deeper and is rooted physiologically. Trauma remains wired in the body and brain. Whenever it triggers its victims, it causes them to relive the panic and terror of their original trauma over and over. These wounds are not visible to the human eye, but they are very real and left untreated can cause chronic health issues which last a lifetime. Our education programs include TraumaTALKS for the community, TraumaTRAININGS for professionals, and our inaugural TraumaCONFERENCE. All education programs are given by Chester Street Foundation’s Founder and CEO, Shawn Alex Nemeth (a trauma survivor), along with other licensed mental health professionals.

Shawn Alex Nemeth’s personal story is filled with the trauma of child abuse, shame, and deep internal conflict. As an ordained minister, he did everything he was taught to do while attempting to help others heal. For years, he spent countless hours in prayer, pastoral counseling, and hard work to forgive his abusers. In 2009, Shawn had to be hospitalized with chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of the severe trauma his therapists said had been encoded in his brain and body when he was a boy. But even though he was traumatized by a tumultuous childhood, Shawn found the strength to recover and to thrive. This experience ignited him on a quest – not only for his own wholeness – but with a new passion and purpose to help abused children heal and recover. That’s why he established the Chester Street Foundation.

We collect data from each educational program.

-We have designed education programs for the community at large and professionals who are on the frontlines of this issue, including educators, healthcare professionals, and organizations working with children. Our education programs include TraumaTALKS for the community, TraumaTRAININGS for professionals, and our inaugural TraumaCONFERENCE. -We started a partner's initiative-- partnering with organizations and individuals who provide direct services to help traumatized children heal and recover. -We produce a quartely newsletter to keep people informed about our programs and how they can get involved. -We've also expanded our reach through posdcasts and virtual talks.

Financials

Chester Street Foundation
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Chester Street Foundation

Board of directors
as of 5/12/2020
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Shawn Alex Nemeth

Chester Street Foundation

Term: 2020 - 2023

Victoria Nemeth

Filippove Law Group

Kathryn Hayden

Financial advisor with Raymond James

Megan Mooney, Ph. D.

A licensed psychologist in private practice, President Elect for the Texas Psychological Association

Leslie Taylor, Ph.D.

UT Health

Christine Lu

Attorney

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 05/11/2020

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not Transgender (Cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or other sexual orientations in the LGBTQIA+ community
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/23/2019

Policies and practices developed in partnership with Equity in the Center, a project that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems within the social sector to increase racial equity. Learn more

Data
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.

Keywords

Mental health, Education, Childhood trauma, trauma training