By Sarah Averbeck, Young Adult Leader Healthy Teens was the spotlighted non-profit at Saturday’s Bradenton Marauders baseball game against the Tampa Bay Tarpons! ​Our Teen Health Educators had the opportunity to speak with youth and parents about the work we do throughout the community. In addition, our students handed out masks, hand sanitizers and wristbands […]

By Jake Hanson, Young Adult Leader None of the work that we do during the year would be possible without the work of our Teen Health Educators, and we want more of you to join us! Our applications for the Teen Health Educator Program 2021-2022 school year are officially open. The program trains and equips […]

By Sarah Averbeck, Young Adult Leader On June 29th 2021, our amazing Teen Health Educators and Young Adult Leaders had the opportunity to participate in our first in-person event of the year, the annual retreat! Held at DaySprings Conference Center in Parrish, the team shared team building, skills development, a time for reflection and a whole lot […]

By Jake Hanson, Young Adult Leader As June draws to a close, we wanted to reflect upon our first month of the Healthy Teens summer program 2021! Every summer, our Teen Health Educators team up and volunteer with different locations serving our youth here in Manatee County. Each team is led by one or two […]

 Amandine Louis-Charles, Young Adult Leader The training began with a brief description of neuroscience and how trauma impacts the brain. We learned about the ways that trauma can affect the development of certain parts of the brain including the prefrontal cortex, which eventually affects our daily behaviors and how we react to stress and traumatic […]

​ We are excited to announce a new partnership with HealthCorps., a national organization founded by Dr. Oz, focusing on youth health. The new project, known as the Teens Make Health Happen club, is a 12-week program that gives members the opportunity to identify a community health problem, create a solution, and present their solution […]

SRQ DAILY FRIDAY WEEKEND EDITION,  ​In an effort to respond to the increasing impact of stress on the mental health of youth, SRQ Strong and Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County (HTC) have partnered to develop a local youth trauma training team, called the Trauma Leadership Corps. According to psychologist Andrea Blanch, a founding member […]

​ Currently, 23 Teen Health Educators are providing critical services to local adolescents; the 8-week Teen Health Educator Training Program is slated for spring 2021 and will be held virtually. Virtual presentations and mentoring activities are currently taking place.  We hope to re-initiate actual in-person presentations and mentoring activities this summer.  With the gracious support […]

WWSB, By Daniela Hurtad, The 13th annual Shamrock Shiver Charity Plunge at Bradenton Beach was held on Friday. The event is put on by Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub and Grill aiming to give back to the community. Every year they choose charities to help through generous donations made through the event.  “Can’t think of a better way […]

​ The Multicultural Action Team ran from August 3, 2020, through December 18, 2020. During that time, the Healthy Teens Coalition participated in 147 events, served roughly 5,500 community members, distributed 1,030 hand sanitizers, 3,130 masks, and handed out 450 referral cards.  It was an honor to serve our community alongside such a dynamic and […]

SRQ DAILY WEDNESDAY PHILANTHROPY EDITION,  On behalf of a local collaborative of nonprofit providers and community groups, Tidewell Hospice has received a grant from Manatee County to facilitate a countywide initiative that will bring together community partners to protect the health and well-being of at-risk residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, known as the Multicultural Action […]

SUNCOAST NEWS NETWORK,  Manatee County professionals are coming together to help protect the health and well-being of some residents. The pandemic has in part exposed health disparities within the Black and Latino communities.​ “In Manatee County about 15% of the population and about 9% is Latinx/Hispanic.  What’s surprising when you look at the national statistics is […]

  SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE,  Manatee County CARES Act funding has helped facilitate a new collaboration focused on protecting the county’s most at-risk residents from COVID-19.  A $342,000 grant to Tidewell Hospice will help found the Multicultural Action Team: A countywide initiative focused on prevention, education, advocacy, research, linkage to care and sustainable solutions. Other community partners […]

THE SUNCOAST POST,  Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County was planning to hold a party to celebrate its tenth anniversary. The pandemic required to group to go back to the drawing board. They decided to hold a virtual birthday party instead.The party will culminate with a livestream to take […]

FOX 13 TAMPA BAY, BRADENTON , A new coalition named Mask Up Manatee will focus to spread public health and COVID-19-related information to residents throughout Manatee County. Local non-profit agencies part of today’s announcement included the Healthy Teens Coalition, Unidos Now, United Way Suncoast, Manatee Education Association and the Manatee Community Foundation. Read more

THE SARASOTA POST,   When Mary Ann Legler courageously spear-headed the Healthy Teens Coalition, a decade ago, Manatee County had one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country.  By 2014, under Mary Ann’s insightful guidance, the Coalition began empowering teen advocates to raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health through informative presentations to their […]

​ MANATEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CURRENT MAGAZINE,  ​The Manatee Chamber named its 2019 Champions of Healthcare at a fabulous awards breakfast on June 20. With a crowd of more than 300 people in attendance, our event honored 70 nominees, 21 finalists, and 9 award winners. Read more

BRADENTON  Palm Aire Women’s Club member Patti Sue Peotter-Bettes may not originally have been slated to speak at the May 10 Palm Aire Women’s Club luncheon, but she did — and she said she had the best job of the day. Read more

May 5, 2019 –  Tickets are now on sale for one of the biggest charity events of the year, “Giving Back.” Held annually, every September, the event is always a sell-out! The event takes place on Thursday, 9/12/2019 starting at 6pm. This year, the benefactor for the event is “Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County, Inc.” […]

MANY STORIES, ONE CAUSE, April 25, 2019 For STD Awareness Month, NCSD hosted a Day of Action to educate Congress about rising STDs around the nation. Below you can read a young person’s experience advocating on Capitol Hill for young people living in Florida and the shared power of stories. Read more

Manatee Community Foundation has announced $188,000 in results-based grant awards to local nonprofits. Read more

​ THE BRADENTON HERALD, November 30, 2018 The life of a migrant is ever-changing, but one thing remains constant: the support each student receives in the School District of Manatee County. Read more

  BRADENTON HERALD, April 12, 2018 The future of Manatee County is in good hands thanks to nearly 150 high schoolers who are already making great strides toward improving their community. Read more

​ BRADENTON HERALD, October 18, 2016 Strategies to increase health — and sexual — education for Manatee County teens were among the topics discussed by the four candidates running for the two remaining school board races Tuesday. Read more

MAY 26, 2016 Bradenton Herald LAKEWOOD RANCH–Long-time Bradenton dermatologist Peter J. Mattina was the star of Thursday’s 4th Annual Champions of Healthcare Awards Breakfast, but Healthy Teen volunteer Flor Zamora stole the show. Read more

MAY 17, 2016 Bradenton Herald Cara Peters, 18, of Manatee High, earns ‘Youth’ award Manatee social workers Tomeo, Costigan, share ‘Adult of the Year’ Carlton Bennett honored as first grad of Teen Parent GED & Family Resources, Inc receives Non-profit of the Year … Read more

MAY 10, 2016 Bay News 9 BRADENTON —  With May being National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, the Manatee County School District is acknowledging it, hoping to raise awareness. Read more

Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY August 20, 2014  Births per 1,000 teenagers (ages 15–19)range from a low of 13.8 in New Hampshire to a high of 47.5 in New Mexico, according to the report from the National Center for Health Statistics based on 2012 data, the most recent available for the states. Read more

Bradenton Herald May 30, 2014 BRADENTON — Four honors were given by the Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee to individuals and groups making significant contributions in reducing teen pregnancy and increasing youth health and welfare during the second annual Teen Pregnancy Prevention Recognition Awards last week.  Read more

Published Saturday, May 29, 2014  Last Tuesday, the Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County, Inc. (HTC)  recognized local individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to reducing teen pregnancy rates and to increasing the health and welfare of youth in the county during its Second Annual Teen Pregnancy Prevention Recognition Awards. May is National […]

By Online Staff Report , Herald-Tribune/ Tuesday, May 27, 2014 For the second year, the Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County Inc. recognized individuals and organizations making contributions to reducing teenage pregnancy rates and increasing the health and welfare of youth. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Recognition Awards were given May 20 at Renaissance on 9th, Bradenton, as a […]

​ THE SARASOTA POST, After a nationwide search, the good people at Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County Inc have chosen Evelyn Almodovar as their new Program Director. She started work here on December 2, 2019.  Ms. Almodovar has experience in leadership and has shown she has a passion for youth. She is the founder of […]