Grant will help speed trauma therapy for Chester County youth

A $6,500 Westfield Legacy of Caring grant will help A Child's Light pay for rapid trauma therapy for Chester County youth, addressing a local care gap where subsidized mental health appointments can take months. The nonprofit’s model pays trauma-informed therapists directly so children who have experienced severe trauma can start specialized care faster.

The award was presented July 20, 2026, at Miller’s Insurance Agency in Downingtown. Miller’s Insurance Agency, Inc. facilitated the grant through a local nomination, and the funding comes through the Westfield Legacy of Caring Program.

A Child’s Light said subsidized mental health care for youth in Chester County now carries waitlists of several months, while its private network of more than 100 trauma-informed therapists can place at-risk children in care in as little as five days. The organization focuses on children dealing with complex grief, abandonment and severe abuse.

The grant is earmarked for the upfront costs of specialized therapy, including the first 12 sessions, equal to about three months of care, for local children. For families trying to respond after a traumatic event, the first available appointment can determine whether a child receives timely support or remains in limbo while symptoms worsen.

The nonprofit says early intervention can help keep childhood trauma from contributing later to self-medication, substance use or involvement in the juvenile justice system. Its approach is part of a broader nonprofit effort to fill gaps between urgent behavioral health needs and the limited supply of affordable providers.

Leslie Holt, founder and executive director of A Child’s Light, thanked supporters who voted for the nonprofit and said the grant would change children’s lives. The organization describes its work as a way to shorten the path between a referral and a first therapy appointment for children who need trauma-specific care.

Miller’s Insurance Agency managing partner and chief operating officer Fran Shaw said children’s trauma is not discussed enough and tied the issue to the mental and physical health of young people. Matt Mangus, president of Miller’s Insurance Agency, said the agency valued working with Westfield Insurance to support children and families in Chester County.

The Westfield Legacy of Caring Program is funded by the Westfield Insurance Foundation. Since 2015, the national program has allowed selected independent insurance agents to direct grant money to local nonprofits that work with families facing instability and other challenges.

For A Child’s Light, the grant adds short-term funding to a model built around speed: pay the provider, remove the wait, and get a child into trauma-informed treatment. The nonprofit’s rapid trauma therapy for Chester County youth program is aimed at children whose needs may not fit the pace of the standard subsidized care system.