Wayside Youth and Family Support Network received a $20,000 grant today from Fallon Community Health Plan to help support its Holistic Health program for adolescents.

The program provides fitness and wellness programs for at-risk adolescents in residential and day programs. The grant will also fund at least one hour of health and wellness education per week.

Holistic Health  uses nutrition counseling, exercise and other techniques such as Tai -Chi, yoga and meditation. Many of the youth served by Wayside have often had little or no medical or dental care and have not been educated or trained in basic hygiene.

"Wayside's treatment approach is guided by the motto 'Building Strength, Hope & Resiliency.' Experience and research have shown us that developing these qualities in young people - through activities like Holistic Health - makes the difference between simply surviving with mental illness, trauma and/or family violence, and overcoming them with a fulfilling and productive life," said Eric Masi, president of Wayside. "We are grateful to Fallon Community Health Plan for recognizing this great community need and for responding to it in such a generous way."

The grant will be presented at 2 p.m. today at Wayside's 75 Fountain Street headquarters in Framingham.