Mendez Foundation

Names may change, but the promise remains the same. Maximizing Life brings the evidence-based lessons, structure, and outcomes you have trusted from the Mendez Foundation since 1978. As we gear up for the next series of updates, you will find the same programs simply under a refreshed name. The core curriculum content, theoretical framework, delivery model, and instructional design continue with freshened scenarios activities, and other enhancements.

TGFD - Maximizing Life is the new name for Too Good for Drugs. The change reflects the program’s broader impact and long-term vision for your children, their families, and your communities and what we see as the bigger picture, focusing not just on what students avoid but what they gain. Look for the change in the latest program updates in middle school and high school.

Summer programs are right around the corner. Now’s the time to play with purpose!
Too Good OST gives you the tools to bring prevention into your summer program with activities that are interactive, age-appropriate, and easy to implement. From building communication and decision-making skills to promoting healthy choices, every lesson is designed to keep young minds engaged and supported.
Keep your kids active, learning, and growing all summer long with programming that makes a lasting impact.

Prevention starts with awareness and grows with action. From building life skills to strengthening families and communities, small steps today can reduce risks tomorrow. This week, take a moment to learn, share, and support prevention efforts in your community.

May 10-16 is National Prevention Week. Strong prevention builds strong communities. Substance use prevention education gives young people the tools they need to make healthy choices, make positive peer connections, build resilience, and reject unhealthy risks. Prevention establishes clear substance free norms and expectations from an early age that will guide their healthy living for a lifetime.

Prepare now for your summer program with Too Good OST!
Built for out-of-school, Too Good OST brings engaging, movement based activities to build confidence, strengthen decision-making skills, and stay on a healthy path, all with a good helping of fun. Whether you’re running a summer camp or an enrichment program, keep your students learning, growing, and thriving all summer long and have a lot of fun doing it.

School pressures, friendship drama, and the relentless demands from themselves and others can make the life of a teenager a stressful place to be. However, it’s how you manage stress that determines the outcome. Going at it with the worst expectations can be self-fulfilling, but, funny enough, so can going at it with a positive outlook. So, find the positive and aim for it. That doesn’t mean ignoring stress or pretending everything is fine. Instead, approach it with the idea that the best outcome is possible and believe you can handle whatever comes your way.

In this quick-paced cooperative learning activity, the students identify and examine stress management techniques and determine if they are healthy or not and why.

We’re heading to the National Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Conference! Stop by our booth for an inside look at the Too Good programs and discover how our comprehensive prevention approach can empower youth to prioritize making healthy choices, resisting negative peer pressure, and building positive peer bonds. Talk with us about how Too Good can support your prevention efforts.

Your body releases endorphins when you exercise. These natural mood lifters can help reduce stress, bolster positive feelings, and promote a sense of well-being. The next time you need a pick me up, take a bike ride, go for a brisk walk, or turn on some music and break out your best dance moves. Your mind and body will thank you for it.