Kyle Hyland Foundation for Teen Support

The Kyle Hyland Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) public charity established in 2015. The KHF serves a vital need in the community and the organization is the only one of its kind, not only in Benicia but in many other surrounding cities.  Benicia is a small town where teens have few places to go to gather and support each other. While some improvements have been made in the level of mental health services provided by local school districts, many teens in trouble often struggle to find the support they need. Parents with at-risk teens also encounter difficulty finding the help they need, with few local resources or referrals.  The stigma of mental illness remains with little to no understanding in the general public. As a result of this lack of support and resources, youth continue to battle anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The programs of the Kyle Hyland Foundation are designed to provide a full range of support for youth including mental health programs and other services for youth as well as a teen center in the city of Benicia. 

The KHF is a legacy for Kyle Hyland, a Benicia teen, who lost his life to suicide in 2014 at the age of 16.  Kyle was a junior attending Benicia High School at the time of his death and the organization was founded by Barbara Gervase and George Hyland, Kyle's parents.  It is their goal to prevent any other family from suffering such a devastating loss.

The mission of the KHF is to provide charitable and educational support to youth by offering mental health programs and other services, and to maintain a center where teens can be provided emotional support through mentoring, counseling, music and art.

We accomplish our mission through 5 programs as follows:

• Hyland Teen Center (HTC) of Benicia: a drop-in program open every day after school in which teens can connect with and be provided supported by their peers as well as caring adults.  Various activities are available including musical instumental and art material for creative expression as well as video and table games including air hockey, pool and ping pong.  The HTC has been operating since January of 2016. 
• The Teen/Community Awareness Program provides various on-campus as well as community events to raise awareness about issues that impact our youth including suicide prevention, bullying, teen dating abuse and mental health.
• Teen Forums and Workshops are offered at the HTC on topics that impact our youth and serve as a great opportunity for teens to connect with peer mentors and community members and organizations.
• The Behavioral Health program providing free counseling to teens at the HTC as well as in local schools in both Vallejo and Benicia
• The RISE Benicia KHF Scholarship