Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth - VFHY

06/12/2026

Congratulations to Eddie Ranuska, recipient of a 2026 Powerful Partner Award!

Eddie was nominated by VFHY to***co use prevention grantee Horizon Behavioral Health.

For more than 13 years, Eddie has been a dedicated champion for youth health and substance use prevention at E.C. Glass High School. Through his leadership, advocacy, and commitment to the Too Good for Drugs program, he helps ensure that hundreds of students each year gain the knowledge and skills needed to make healthy, informed decisions.

Whether mentoring students, supporting fellow educators, or reinforcing prevention education in the classroom, Eddie's impact extends far beyond the school day. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to helping young people build healthy, successful futures. 👏🎉

The Powerful Partner Award recognizes organizations and individuals across Virginia who go above and beyond to help VFHY grantees improve the health and well-being of youth through exceptional partnership, collaboration, and community impact.

Learn more about the Powerful Partner Award and the other 2026 winners: https://vfhy.ink/4e5ruk6

06/08/2026

When school is out, many kids lose access to the meals they depend on every day. SUN Bucks and SUN Meals help bridge that gap by providing grocery benefits and free summer meals for children across Virginia.

More than 260,000 children in Virginia face hunger, and summer can be an especially challenging time when school meals are unavailable. Learn how SUN Bucks, SUN Meals, and SUN Meals To-Go are helping families access nutritious food during the summer months, and where to find resources and eligibilit...

06/05/2026

06/03/2026

Congratulations to the Waynesboro Rotary Club, recipient of a 2026 Powerful Partner Award!

Waynesboro Rotary Club was nominated by VFHY Healthy Communities Action Team grantee Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth.

To celebrate its centennial, the Rotary Club partnered with local organizations to turn an abandoned parking lot into a vibrant traffic playground — a safe, fun space where children can build bike-riding confidence and learn road safety skills.

Through fundraising, hands-on volunteer work, and an unwavering commitment to youth health, the Rotary Club helped transform a long-standing vision into a community resource that is already getting more kids active and outdoors.

Thank you for helping Waynesboro's youth move more, learn more, and thrive! 🚲👏

The Powerful Partner Award recognizes organizations and individuals across Virginia who go above and beyond to help VFHY grantees improve the health and well-being of youth through exceptional partnership, collaboration, and community impact.

Learn more about the Powerful Partner Award and the other 2026 winners: https://vfhy.ink/4uRh6Cx

05/26/2026

Have you listened to the latest Champions for Youth Podcast episode yet? Listen now 🎧 vfhy.org/podcast

04/24/2026

⏰ Last chance. Are you in?

Preregistration is almost closed for the 2026 Champions for Youth Summit (May 4–6, 2026 | Reston, VA). If you've been thinking about it — this is your sign. Register by end of day Friday, April 24.

🎫 🎓 Are you a student? We're offering a discounted rate for high school and college students — learn more at https://vfhy.ink/4n8bgd3

03/27/2026

It's Rev Your Bev Week!💧This is your reminder to drink water!

We spent the week celebrating healthy hydration across Virginia with fun activities and recipes at schools and early childhood settings. HHR Secretary Marvin B. Figueroa joined the fun by reading “Water, Water, All Kinds of Water” to Headstart students at Greensville Elementary School.

Since launching in 2013 for K–12 classrooms, and expanding to early childhood in 2018, Rev Your Bev has reached more than 400,000 Virginia kids, with another 10,000 participating this year.

Find lesson plans, recipe ideas, policy checklists, and more free, downloadable resources on the Rev Your Bev website: https://vfhy.ink/4bDFDnv

03/19/2026

Big news from one of our keynote speakers.

Dr. Arthur Brooks — who will join us at the 2026 Champions for Youth Summit — has just released a new book called, "The Meaning of Your Life."

In the book, Brooks explores why so many people today describe a growing sense of emptiness and lack of purpose — and what we can do to reclaim meaning in our lives.

📅 On March 27, he'll host a free virtual book launch, joined by Rainn Wilson, Hoda Kotb, Chip Conley, Dan Buettner, Simon Sinek, Andrew Yang, Maria Shriver, Chris Williamson, and many more.

Learn more about the book launch at: https://vfhy.ink/4bf2rd5

And don't miss the chance to hear Brooks share insights on the science of happiness at the 2026 Champions for Youth Summit, May 4–6, in Reston, VA! We're giving away a limited number of copies of his new book to CFY26 attendees.

03/12/2026

Virginia rising college seniors, recent college graduates, and postgraduate students: applications are now open for the 2026 Governor's Fellows Program.

This prestigious program gives emerging leaders the opportunity to work alongside the Governor's Cabinet and staff, gain firsthand experience in state government, and help serve communities across the Commonwealth.

If you're interested in public service and learning how state government works form the inside, this is a unique opportunity to get involved. Deadline to apply is April 10, 2026.

Abigail Spanberger, Commonwealth, Governor of Virginia, governor, virginia, VA

03/10/2026

Last week at 2026 in Baltimore, VFHY-funded researchers shared new findings that will help us better understand youth ni****ne and to***co behaviors.

The researchers shared eight research posters and a symposium, covering:

👉Youth perceptions of ni****ne
👉Vaping prevention resources for families and youth-serving professionals
👉Analysis of va**ng products confiscated in Virginia schools
👉Classroom-based prevention programs for high school students

These findings will help strengthen prevention strategies and support healthier futures for youth in Virginia and beyond.

The Society for Research on Ni****ne and To***co is the only professional association dedicated exclusively to the support of researchers, academics, treatment professionals, government employees, and many others working across disciplines in the field of ni****ne and to***co research.