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Harper,

As people across the nation continue to protest against police violence and systemic racism, while also grappling with the ongoing pandemic, many are struggling with feelings of depression and anxiety, which have increased among Black Americans, Latinx Americans, and Asian Americans and less so for White Americans.*

Activism can be a healthy way to respond to emotional struggles based on social or policy problems by actively participating in expressing discontent with injustice. It can also be helpful for teens and young adults in developing their identity.

As we confront issues of injustice, racial violence, and systemic racism, it’s important to take care of ourselves and each other. Here are some things to keep in mind while engaging with teens and young adults:

• Watch for apathy and disengagement: ‘Checking out’ can be a sign someone is overwhelmed or feeling anxious.
• Talk to teens and young adults to provide guidance and feedback on current events and politics and how these can impact emotions.
• Create opportunities to safely participate in national and international issues/events.

If you or teens and young adults in your life are emotionally overwhelmed by current circumstances, check out our Mental Health Resource Center.

Take care and be well,
The JED Team

*Mental Health: Household Pulse Survey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Harper,

This year has been a lot to navigate for many of us, and we want to check in to see how you’re doing. Please take a minute to share what’s on your mind by taking this short survey.

We appreciate you taking a moment to let us know what’s on your mind. We care about what you think and want to learn more about how we can support you and the young people in your life right now.

With gratitude,

Katie Cunningham
Chief Programs and Operations Officer

If you or someone you know needs help immediately, text "START" to 741-741, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), dial 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Find more information and resources at jedfoundation.org/help.

Dear Harper,

I wanted to share my recent Op-Ed published by Inside Higher Ed, highlighting JED’s work with colleges and universities, and our recommendations to schools for promoting student emotional well-being during these uncertain times and into the future. Read it here.

This is such a pivotal and potentially distressing time for young people. In addition to adapting to the pandemic, schools and universities have the opportunity to take actions to strengthen their mental health supports for students of color. The Equity in Mental Health Framework that we co-developed with The Steve Fund provides a set of 10 recommendations coupled with key implementation strategies for how schools can better support the mental health of students of color. In the coming days, we will share more information about these recommendations, along with resources to help promote the mental health of teens and young adults during these times.

There is so much work to do. Thanks to you, JED is accelerating our efforts to ensure schools and other institutions are ready and able to support the mental health of young people when they need us most.

Thank you,
John MacPhee
Executive Director and CEO

• Join JED on Wednesday, June 17 for a webinar, Creating Space for Student Success and Emotional Well-being: Addressing Mental Health in High Schools. The conversation will feature JED experts discussing the anxiety and difficult emotions young people are experiencing in the wake of the uncertainties and unrest in the world today and explore new research to help address the current mental health crisis.
   
• In Sharing a Story Can Save a Life, Kevin Meiselman, a 2020 graduate of Quinnipiac University’s School of Communications, shares experiences about his mental health journey.
   
• In Keeping Connected in Quarantine, Peter Grayson, executive director at BIGVISION, discusses staying connected during quarantine and social distancing while in recovery.
   
• Text, Talk, Set to Go is now available through the month of June. As school years wrap up and seniors shift their focus, this conversation can get them set to go for the transition from high school. The program delivers conversation prompts via text to help small groups explore a variety of topics in preparation for college and can now be used remotely. ​To begin, simply text SetToGo to 89800.
   
• JED’s annual event Everyone Summits inspired mental health advocates across the country to get outside on May 3. The event raised more than $50,000 for JED.

• A New York Times feature discusses the unpredictability of life for college students during the pandemic. As JED’s chief medical officer Dr. Victor Schwartz, M.D. says in the article, “We don’t need to tell people they’re suffering from a mental health problem when they’re having an appropriate response to very challenging circumstances.”
   
• In a conversation with Barnes & Noble College to discuss supporting student mental health and well-being during a crisis, Dr. Victor Schwartz, M.D. offers observations and suggestions for navigating changes and uncertainty during a pandemic.
   
• The Oklahoma Gazette talks with musician Brandon Ross about a compilation featuring Oklahoma musicians coming together to advocate for mental health support and suicide prevention. All proceeds will go to JED. JED founders Phil and Donna Satow are quoted in the article.

Harper,

Holiday celebrations will likely look different this year. But, this holiday can be memorable, provide an opportunity to create new traditions, and connect with others to share gratitude.

In my own practice as a researcher, psychologist, and public health specialist, I know that gratitude is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and others, especially as we navigate this moment together. Consider integrating a gratitude practice into your day-to-day life. It can be helpful and provide a protective feeling to lean on to build resilience and foster hopefulness.

In the midst of uncertainty, a daily gratitude practice can help our well-being as well as others. Here are some ideas on how to cultivate gratitude:

• Make gratitude an ongoing practice, daily if you can.
   
• Amplify gratitude by being generous with others. Send a quick note to let someone know they are important to you. Share resources with someone who needs support. Make someone’s day a little brighter. Small gestures can make a big difference.
   
• At the end of the day, reflect on your experiences. Note three things you’re grateful for. If three feels like too many, start with one. If you can’t think of anything big, look for the small things—a kind gesture, a small moment of peace, or a break in the clouds.
   
• Recognize that we are living through an historic moment, individually and collectively. Consider journaling about what you’re noticing about yourself and the larger world around you, and about what you’re grateful for. If you need a place to start, consider joining Telling Stories, a global community journaling during the pandemic.

We’ll be exploring this and more during an Instagram Live event on Tuesday, November 24, at 3 p.m. ET. We’ll talk about gratitude, why it’s so important right now, and how to weave it into a daily practice. Please join us and consider submitting a question in advance on Instagram.

I hope to see you Tuesday!

Janis Whitlock, Ph.D.
JED Senior Advisor

If you or someone you know needs help immediately, text "START" to 741-741, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), dial 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Find more information and resources at jedfoundation.org/help.

Dear Harper,

As we reflect on the 20 years since we founded The Jed Foundation, we are deeply appreciative of the generosity of so many friends who have supported us and made possible the innovations, resources, and outreach that have impacted millions of young adults and teens. Today, 20% of our college student population, over four million students, attend school at one of our JED Campuses, benefiting from our proven model for protecting emotional health and preventing suicide.

As we head into the winter months during this pandemic, we think of the many lives that have been upended by COVID-19 and its far-reaching impact. This year has been profoundly difficult for our young adults and the many students dealing with remote learning. We know that this time of instability is magnifying an escalating mental health crisis in schools and communities across the country.

We continue during this pandemic to do everything we possibly can to give teens, young adults, schools, and communities a variety of tools to address mental health needs and we know from our own experiences that this period of uncertainty will come to an end, and life will evolve to something that feels familiar again.

As a new year is about to begin, we think of the promise that JED underscores as it increases its college reach to millions of additional students and significantly scales its comprehensive high school programming.

We speak to you from the heart today with the hope that JED’s efforts will play a major role in preventing suicide in countless families, thus avoiding the tragic loss of life which our family suffered.

Thank you for your friendship and for your support of JED. We are eternally grateful for your commitment to this mission.

With gratitude and hope,

Donna and Phil Satow
Founders

Harper,

Each year, The Jed Foundation (JED) honors an exceptional student working to reduce shame and prejudice around mental illness and to encourage peers to seek help.

Collin Spencer, a graduating senior from the Georgia Institute of Technology, is the recipient of JED’s 2020 Student Voice of Mental Health Award. After witnessing a campus police officer shoot and kill a fellow queer student leader who was experiencing a mental health episode, Collin led the effort to establish the Mental Health Joint Allocations Committee, a million-dollar fund overseen by students to improve mental health at Georgia Tech. As chair of the committee, he oversaw the allocation of more than $300,000 for mental health initiatives, including a new LGBTQ+ resource center, a mental health intake center, biofeedback therapy equipment, and an online portal for mental health resources.

We recently sat down with Collin for a conversation about his experiences and what inspires and motivates him to work to improve mental well-being for everyone. 

“Now more than ever, improving the mental health of our communities requires unprecedented collaboration that I am privileged to contribute to.” 

-Collin Spencer

Collin reminds us that together we can protect mental health and prevent suicide for our nation’s young people. We’re delighted to recognize his contributions.

Sincerely,
The JED Team

Harper,

Physical distancing has kept many of us apart, and we may be feeling the loneliness and distress that often comes with social isolation. Research shows that loneliness and isolation are major contributing factors to deteriorating mental health and suicidal behavior.

For Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, we encourage you to connect with others to let them know you’re available and you care. Schedule a virtual dance party or an online game night, or just keep it simple with a call or text. Check out Seize the Awkward for ideas and tips.

It''s important that we stay safe during the pandemic. It''s also important that we find ways to stay connected and encourage others to do the same. Engaging in supportive relationships with friends and family, and feeling part of our campus or community can boost our mental, emotional, and physical health. Learn more about how to maintain mental health during the coronavirus.

Be well,
The JED Team

If you or someone you know needs help immediately, text "START" to 741-741, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), dial 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Find more information and resources at jedfoundation.org/help.

Harper,

Consider the ideal scenario:

Students across the country attend colleges that promote the development of essential life skills, while fostering social connectedness, inclusivity, and a sense of belonging within the community. The campus culture encourages students to seek help for themselves and others, and systems are in place to identify and care for students who might be experiencing mental health issues.

This is being achieved because schools are prioritizing student mental health and implementing a strategic planning process to promote the campus-wide adoption of practices that promote student mental health and reduce risks for suicide.

This is what JED’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities looks like on many campuses that have partnered with us on the JED Campus program.

Harper, your ongoing dedication to JED is making a real difference in students'' lives across the country. Please make a gift to support this vital work.

We just completed a major program evaluation of 56 schools who completed the JED Campus program. The findings? Our evidence-based model works. 

Now, more than ever, it is critical we provide schools with the resources to protect student mental health. With your help, we can. Please make a donation right now.

Sincerely,

Katie Cunningham 
Chief Programs and Operations Officer

Dear Harper,

This is a challenging time and teens and young adults need increased access to mental health support. The Jed Foundation is expanding our work with schools, communities, and families to provide the programs and resources young people need now.

Please help us do more. Thanks to a generous donor, all gifts made to The Jed Foundation by midnight tonight will be doubled.

With your help, we will partner with more schools to support student mental health, develop additional resources for caregivers and families, and educate more young people on how to help a friend that may be struggling.

During this difficult time, we must prioritize teen and young adult mental health. If you are able, please donate by midnight tonight and have twice the impact. Together, we can make a real difference.

Gratefully,

The JED Team

Harper,

Right now, as students return to high schools and colleges, we know they’re facing extraordinary challenges.

Even in more ordinary times, the start of the school year often brings new stressors, including the anxiety associated with changing environments, different peer groups, and fluctuating workloads. Of course, this is not an ordinary time. The COVID-19 pandemic has added other dimensions: uncertain futures, financial vulnerability, social isolation, and safety.

For teens and young adults, it’s a lot to carry.

Let’s make sure they’re not carrying it all on their own.

Your gift to JED — which will be doubled from now until Sept. 30 thanks to a match from a generous donor — will help us provide our evidence-based programs to low resourced colleges and high schools across the country to meet the urgent mental health needs of students.  

Today, many public high schools and colleges are facing daunting challenges with both increased costs and decreased state and federal funding as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the need for in-school, comprehensive mental health support for students is incredibly urgent. With your help, we can provide meaningful support to more schools and connect even more students with the vital resources they need right now.

Your gift today will go twice as far to help us address this need. Please donate now, and join our work to reach young people with the mental health resources they need to navigate this moment and thrive.

With gratitude,

John MacPhee
Executive Director

Harper,

Things haven’t been easy.

Each day is a reminder of the uncertainty that we are all navigating. As a country, we are unsettled—working through a new rise in COVID-19 cases, natural disasters, ongoing unrest to dismantle systemic racism, and the election.

The election and constant media coverage of it can add to our anxiety and sense of uncertainty. Here are some helpful ways to navigate this year’s election:

• Curate your newsfeed to show helpful or inspiring information and unfollow the accounts that make you feel bad about any part of your life or your views and put you into a negative headspace.
• Remember to vote. Your vote matters and voting may give you some sense of agency in a situation that can feel chaotic and unstable. 
• While the election and political debates are important—and there are many benefits to hearing different viewpoints—it’s okay to take breaks. If you have these conversations often and you leave them feeling depleted, anxious, and stressed, you can try to avoid or limit discussing politics or the election. For some, the best self-care option may be not to discuss the election or politics at all, even with those whose views are similar to yours. 
• Remember that this year it may be more of an election season than an election day, and you may need to take extra care of yourself during the month of November.

Here are some tips for navigating the feelings of stress, worry, and anxiety you might be experiencing right now:

• Stick to your routine: Maintaining a regular schedule of activities and taking care of your usual responsibilities can help you engage in being present and re-establish a sense of normalcy.
• Take care of yourself: You will feel better if you get enough sleep, eat properly, and get regular exercise.
• Engage in fun and meaningful activities: Take some time to do something you usually enjoy—take a walk, watch a movie, connect safely with friends. Engaging in activities that help or support others can increase your sense of well-being and enhance your optimism.
• Practice relaxation: Yoga, meditation, or mindfulness can help you let go of stress and tension. Visit Press Pause for more ideas. 
• Limit your social media and news time: Constantly checking news feeds or other social media may increase your stress. Set aside specific times to check news and social media. Too much time online can also interfere with getting enough sleep. Check out our Pressure to Be Perfect guide for more ideas.
• Limit substance use: Drinking or partying to feel better might seem to help in the short run but may leave you feeling depleted.

Through tumultuous and uncertain times, we can cultivate perspective using strategies that put our well-being first. We hope these resources and tips help you take care of yourself and others.

Be well,

The JED Team

If you or someone you know needs help immediately, text "START" to 741-741, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), dial 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Find more information and resources at jedfoundation.org/help.

Harper,

The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that a quarter of young adults ages 18-24 have seriously contemplated suicide during the pandemic.

This profoundly sobering statistic demands an urgent call to action.

With millions of high school and college students preparing for an academic year that will be like no other, we must redouble our efforts to help equip schools, communities, and families with evidence-based resources, guidance, and support to help teens and young adults navigate this immensely challenging time.

Please join us in this urgent work by making a gift to JED today.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, JED has been focused on developing new resources and ways of working to meet the needs of students, families, and schools. This fall, we will share new COVID-specific guidance on topics including fostering social connectedness and identifying students at risk in virtual settings. We will also launch a free, Rapid Response Assistance Center to substantially increase our ability to help educators support the mental health of their students across the country in real-time.

If you are able, please help us expand these efforts, which will be greatly needed in the months ahead. Together, I believe we can make a real difference in the lives of our nation’s teens and young adults.

Thank you.

John MacPhee
Executive Director

Harper,

I want to share some exciting information with you.

We recently compiled data from the first 56 schools that have completed the JED Campus program—colleges and universities with whom we partnered to create systemic change in the campus community—who have implemented JED’s signature Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities.

The Comprehensive Approach is an evidence-based model that can be used to assess efforts currently being made on campus, identifying existing strengths and areas for improvement in order to create a culture of caring and a mental health safety net around students. The goal is to have a positive and lasting impact on the mental health of students by customizing and augmenting campus-wide supports to  build on existing student mental health resources and programming, and strengthen substance misuse and suicide prevention efforts.

The evaluation data from these 56 JED Campuses that completed the program between 2014 and 2020 shows clear evidence that the Comprehensive Approach is having a significant impact on the policies, programs, and systems designed to promote student mental health and reduce risks for suicide. These schools have shown a marked increase in actions being taken to support and address students’ mental health needs. For example:

Dear Harper,

Giving Tuesday encourages people to embrace a spirit of togetherness and community support—to collaborate, do good, and celebrate generosity.

This year especially, we are all in need of that collaborative spirit. Young people are particularly vulnerable right now. Schools, where teenagers and young adults often spend the majority of their time, are dealing with isolated learning environments and operational and financial challenges.

We don’t yet know the scale of the pandemic’s impact on mental health, but we know it is great and that we must act. Since March, one quarter of America’s young adults ages 18-24 have contemplated suicide. There’s a gap between the growing mental health needs of teens and young adults and the services available to them at their schools.

Together, we can help. Please make a donation now and your gift to JED will be matched, up to a total of $50,000 through December 31, and have twice the impact.

With your generosity, we can provide high schools and colleges across the country with evidence-based programming that supports student mental health and reduces the risk of self-harm and suicide. We can empower young people to better support each other and to advocate for the specific mental health services they and their peers need. We can help students and educators cultivate a culture of belonging, even in the most challenging of times.

In the face of crisis, we’ve already witnessed our community stepping up to support our work and youth. Will you join us again today and make twice the impact?

With gratitude,

John MacPhee
Executive Director

Donations to JED will be matched by an anonymous donor, up to a total of $50,000, through December 31.

Dear Harper,

Helping students maintain their emotional health and well-being, develop resilience, connect with their community, and give and seek support when needed, has never been more important. Schools can play a major role in teaching these skills and creating conditions in which young people thrive.

Let’s help them do it.

When you donate to The Jed Foundation, funds are used to expand evidence-based mental health programming in high schools, colleges, and universities across the country. This year, JED’s work—and your support—is needed more than ever.

Thanks to a generous donor, gifts made by 9/30 will be matched, dollar for dollar, and have twice the impact. Please help us take advantage of this special match and help more schools support more students now.

Thank you,

Katherine Duncan
Director, Foundation Relations

Dear Harper,

As the pandemic stretches on, high schools and colleges across the country are sharing similar stories: teens and young adults are disconnected from their peers, missing milestone moments, and opportunities for social and emotional learning that are critical for their development. Young people of color are experiencing higher levels of trauma and stress as a result of systemic racial inequities and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on their communities. Educators are facing tremendous personal and professional challenges.

The effects of this tumultuous year will be long-lasting. JED pivoted our work to provide real-time, acute guidance this year. Looking ahead, we must continue to develop new, customized strategies to support the mental health of teens and young adults. We know our approaches work. Please help us build a stronger safety net for students and schools. When you give today, your gift to JED will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $50,000.

Throughout this year, we’ve scaled up our efforts to address the immediate needs of teens and young adults. We’ve empowered students to advocate for resources on their own campuses. We’ve helped schools increase their capacity for telehealth services, and we’ve created opportunities for school staff to connect virtually with JED experts and other school administrators across the country.

Please help support this critical work by making a gift today. When you give today, your gift will be doubled and have twice the impact on our work.

Thank you for being part of the JED community and supporting the mental health of teens and young adults during this difficult time and into the future. 

Gratefully, 

The JED Team

Donations to JED will be matched by an anonymous donor, up to a total of $50,000, through December 31.

Dear Harper,

This school year, helping students stay on track and progress academically and developmentally will require extra support from schools, families, and communities.

The Jed Foundation is ready to help.

We have created new resources and adapted programs to strengthen our ability to help students navigate this difficult time and achieve positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes.

Please help us increase our capacity to work with more schools — and support more students — by making a gift today. All gifts made before September 30th will be doubled, and have twice the impact for teens and young adults.

With your support, we will have the capacity to partner with more schools across the country, sharing expert-informed strategies on topics like promoting a sense of school community and student belonging when much of the school day is virtual.

Working together, we can provide the extra support students need now. Please make a gift today.

Thank you,
Suzie Button, Ph.D.
Senior Clinical Director, High School Programming

Harper,

We are living in turbulent times. For young people especially, returning to school and struggling to find new routines already is difficult and made even more challenging to navigate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are hearing directly from students that they are overwhelmed. High schools, colleges, and universities across the country can expect us to be prepared to help.

For twenty years, we have shared evidence-based strategies with colleges and universities to support student mental health and prevent suicide. Today, schools are turning to JED in record numbers. We are meeting them where they are and helping staff and students adapt to what is needed now with new planning strategies, updated life skills, and resiliency-building resources.

By making a donation today, you can help bring JED’s expertise to more schools and students across the country. Between now and Sept. 30, a generous donor will match your gift dollar for dollar, doubling your impact on the lives of young people. Please donate now and have twice the impact.

2020 has upended our lives. But it’s also given us the opportunity to come together, newly energized, to lift up those who most need our support. Please, give today. 

Sincerely,
John H. Dunkle, Ph.D.,
Senior Clinical Director, Higher Education

Harper,

It''s critical that we address the mental health needs of teens and young adults, especially as students prepare to go back to school. That is why I wanted to be sure you saw John’s message below. Our team is responding to this moment by working hard to ensure all students have access to mental health support. Can you help? Please make a donation to support this urgent and critical work.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Adee Shepen
Chief Development Officer

Harper,

The potential psychological effects of the crises impacting the lives of most Americans will be substantial. As schools prepare for the fall, it is clear that the upcoming academic year will be like no other.

With almost 36 million teens and young adults enrolled in high school, college, and university, it is essential that schools have access to evidence-based mental health resources and real-time expert consultation. Please help JED provide these vital tools by making a donation today.

Motivated by clear evidence that JED’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities is helping schools and students across the country, we are determined to do more to meet urgent needs now.

Our team is developing new resources and investing in our capacity to quickly share information and real-time guidance so we can be an accessible and effective partner to more schools in the year ahead.

Harper, these are challenging times. If you are able, please make a donation now to support this critical work.

We are grateful for your partnership.

Thank you,

John MacPhee
Executive Director

Harper,

Language matters. Thoughtfully selected words and labels can help young people navigate their educational experience while feeling seen, included, and connected to their campus — and broader — community.

This month, The Jed Foundation (JED) is updating the language we use. July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, a month dedicated to the mental health of communities of color. Originally named Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re joining mental health partners in replacing the word "minority" with BIPOC — Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In supporting the BIPOC community, we recognize the direct impact language can have on an individual’s identity and mental health. The word "minority" emphasizes the difference in power between "majority" and "minority" groups and can make BIPOC feel "minority" is synonymous with inferiority. While "minority" and "marginalized" may be used in academic spaces, the words the mental health community uses must change to help communities understand how these terms create and perpetuate negative images and stereotypes of individuals that identify as BIPOC.

At JED, we are honoring this month by taking time to listen and curate essential resources to connect with and support the mental health of BIPOC teens and young adults. We will soon share resources with the JED community to help develop pathways for mental health care for BIPOC students.

We’re also joining our partners for a series of webinars:

• On Thursday, July 23 at 2 PM EDT, we’re joining a panel discussion, “Supporting the Mental Health of BIPOC Students,” with Mental Health America of Greater Houston, Rice University Wellbeing Center, University of Houston, and The Steve Fund. Register here.
• On Tuesday, July 28 at 3 PM EDT, we’re co-hosting “Amplifying Voices of Future Leaders: Supporting the Mental Health of Students Speaking Up Against Racial Injustice.” The webinar is co-sponsored by The Steve Fund and JED, and will focus on how higher education professionals can provide support, share resources, and advocate for the prioritization of protecting the emotional health of students. Register here.
• In partnership with Mental Health America, Human Rights Campaign, and The Steve Fund, we participated in a BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month Kick-Off conversation. Check it out.

As schools prepare to welcome students back this fall, it’s critical to foster a school environment that is welcoming and inclusive. By prioritizing mental health, we can take meaningful action to help the whole community thrive.

Thank you for being part of the JED community.

Sincerely,

Sofia B. Pertuz, Ph.D.
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Senior Advisor to JED Campus

Harper,

The potential psychological effects of the crises impacting the lives of most Americans will be substantial. As schools prepare for the fall, it is clear that the upcoming academic year will be like no other.

With almost 36 million teens and young adults enrolled in high school, college, and university, it is essential that schools have access to evidence-based mental health resources and real-time expert consultation. Please help JED provide these vital tools by making a donation today.

Motivated by clear evidence that JED’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities is helping schools and students across the country, we are determined to do more to meet urgent needs now.

Our team is developing new resources and investing in our capacity to quickly share information and real-time guidance so we can be an accessible and effective partner to more schools in the year ahead.

Harper, these are challenging times. If you are able, please make a donation now to support this critical work.

We are grateful for your partnership.

Thank you,

John MacPhee
Executive Director

Harper,

As the Director of Learning and Evaluation at JED, I’m inspired by data. The numbers tell us that JED Campuses are paving the way for more young people to get the support they need. JED Campuses have measurably improved the policies, programs, and systems that support mental health for their students. But what really excites me are the stories of how campuses are implementing JED’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities.

Our recent JED Comprehensive Approach Impact Report tells these powerful stories, not only through data, but through testimonials. It also underscores what these schools have experienced: ​​

From the start of our involvement with The Jed Foundation, it was very helpful to bring together key stakeholders across campus as part of the initial Mental Health Task Force meetings as a way to identify our shared responsibilities in maximizing the mental health and well-being of our students. Approaching mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and substance abuse prevention from a public health model has been a core value of the Counseling and Wellness Center and therefore the JED approach to suicide and substance abuse prevention has very much helped us to continue to expand upon and refine how we are institutionally addressing these issues across the college.

- Massachusetts College of Arts and Design

JED’s Comprehensive Approach has helped Penn College to build on existing student mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention efforts, providing a framework to critically examine our policies and programs, and establish a comprehensive strategic plan to more effectively address the growing mental health needs of our students.

- Pennsylvania College of Technology

We appreciated that there is as much attention to the development of life skills and social connectedness as there is to the identification of at-risk students and the restriction of access to lethal means. The comprehensive public health model has dovetailed very neatly with our own philosophy, and we have been grateful for the guidance we’ve received from JED.

- Denison University

Harper,

“Excited, nervous, confused”
“Scared, depressed, anxious”

These are some of the feelings expressed by high school and college students when asked in a recent survey how they’re feeling about going back to school.

Youth mental health issues were on the rise before the pandemic and are even more prevalent now. In a recent Centers for Disease Control study, one in four young adults between 18 and 24 said they have seriously contemplated suicide during the pandemic.

We must do everything we can to address this issue. John’s email below outlines how we’re meeting this urgent moment. Please consider making a donation to support this critical work today.

Thank you for your support,

Adee Shepen
Chief Development Officer

Harper,

The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that a quarter of young adults ages 18-24 have seriously contemplated suicide during the pandemic.

This profoundly sobering statistic demands an urgent call to action.

With millions of high school and college students preparing for an academic year that will be like no other, we must redouble our efforts to help equip schools, communities, and families with evidence-based resources, guidance, and support to help teens and young adults navigate this immensely challenging time.

Please join us in this urgent work by making a gift to JED today.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, JED has been focused on developing new resources and ways of working to meet the needs of students, families, and schools. This fall, we will share new COVID-specific guidance on topics including fostering social connectedness and identifying students at risk in virtual settings. We will also launch a free, Rapid Response Assistance Center to substantially increase our ability to help educators support the mental health of their students across the country in real-time.

If you are able, please help us expand these efforts, which will be greatly needed in the months ahead. Together, I believe we can make a real difference in the lives of our nation’s teens and young adults.

Thank you.

John MacPhee
Executive Director

Dear Harper,

For 20 years, The Jed Foundation (JED) has protected mental health and prevented suicide for our nation’s youth, thanks to the generous support of people like you.

As we work to expand the reach and impact of our programs across the country, we would like to share some of the various ways you can support JED and contribute to our life-changing work:

Hi Harper,

I hope you had a chance to see Frank’s email below. Our work is stronger and reaches farther because of you. As teens and young adults face new and on-going uncertainties, JED is responding. We need your support. Donate now.

Thank you,
Adee 

Dear Harper,

As the person who oversees the finances at JED, I want you to know that we are careful stewards of every dollar you donate. We work to maximize each gift so it has the greatest impact to protect the mental health of teens and young adults and prevent suicide.

Our work with high schools, colleges, universities, and communities is vital as we provide  resources that connect millions of young people to the mental health support they need.

I see your donation put to work every day. In the last days of the year, JED’s supporters traditionally deliver an outpouring of generosity, which will fuel our work in 2021. Please consider making a gift to support JED’s critical work now.

Name: Harper
End of year donation status: Awaiting response
Give by: Midnight tonight, 12/31

This unprecedented year is coming to a close. Now, we embark on a new year filled with possibilities. As we ring in the new year, we know one thing for certain: schools and communities will need help building safety nets to address the mental health needs of teens and young adults in the months and years to come.

With your help we can ensure teens and young adults — and the schools and communities they’re part of — have the tools and resources they need to support mental well-being and prevent suicide.

Donate to JED by midnight tonight and your gift will be doubled and make twice the impact.

We’re ready to expand our evidence-based strategies to be there when young people need us most. Help connect more teens and young adults with the mental health support they need to thrive.

Dear Harper,

As the person who oversees the finances at JED, I want you to know that we are careful stewards of every dollar you donate. We work to maximize each gift so it has the greatest impact to protect the mental health of teens and young adults and prevent suicide.

Our work with high schools, colleges, universities, and communities is vital as we provide resources that connect millions of young people to the mental health support they need.

I see your donation put to work every day. In the last days of the year, JED’s supporters traditionally deliver an outpouring of generosity, which will fuel our work in 2021. Please consider making a gift to support JED’s critical work now.

Dear Harper,

Every generation thinks theirs is the most difficult to grow up in. But today’s teens and young adults have unprecedented challenges: social media and the pressures that come with it, questions about their future employment opportunities and now, the impacts of the pandemic. It all takes a toll on their mental well-being.

As the mother of four living in Pittsburgh — a major college town — I saw first-hand the need to elevate mental health in our schools. We needed scalable ways to support our local colleges and universities so that they could better help students navigate emotional health challenges and reach their full potential.

That’s why we reached out to The Jed Foundation. We were looking for an established organization in the mental health field with whom to partner. That’s why we have underwritten support of ten colleges in Pittsburgh as well as one in Virginia and a boarding school for the JED Campus program.

We’ve seen firsthand how JED’s Comprehensive Approach transforms an entire college or university — from students to administration to staff — to focus on mental health across a campus. But, it goes beyond just one campus. With the help and expertise of the JED team, we’re creating a community of staff and students who are elevating mental health across campuses. To see schools become united, before COVID-19 and more so now, is totally transformative. This is, as you can imagine, very exciting to us!

As part of this work, and using the structures already in place across our school systems and JED’s resources, we started Unpack U, an innovative, inclusive program that helps universities address the extraordinary transitions facing today’s college students. It’s a testament to what happens when we think holistically about mental health in our schools.

We are dedicated partners with JED because we have seen the impact of our work together, providing tools and resources to help young people thrive. Please help spread this impact to other schools and communities by making a gift today.

Thank you,

Cindy Citrone
C33 Foundation

Dear Harper,

You’ve heard a lot from us lately and now, I’m hoping to hear from you. Demand for JED’s resources and support has never been greater and to meet it we need your help. Can we count on your support before midnight tonight?

The work we do together has an enormous impact on the lives of teens and young adults, and the support we provide schools and communities is needed now more than ever as we all navigate the mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic.

I know it’s been a difficult year. Let’s do all we can to make 2021 better. Please make a gift before midnight tonight to bring support and resources to young people in the weeks and months to come.

Dear Harper,

High schools and colleges are the real-life places with the most teens and young adults, and they play a critical role in protecting the mental health of students. Today, many are facing daunting operational and financial challenges while trying to address growing mental health needs among students. Together, we can help. 

JED operates at this intersection of education and mental health. We have a deep understanding of youth mental health needs and how to effectively partner with schools to create safe and supportive environments that act as a mental health safety net for students.

We have responded to the needs brought on by the pandemic by leaning in and scaling up existing programs with proven efficacy, while also innovating to meet demand and address emerging needs and ways of working.

JED works with schools to identify and implement concrete actions to strengthen their safety net so they can better help teens and young adults build resiliency and navigate this trying time. We provide schools with proven strategies and an individualized approach.

Based on this proven track record of success ― and the current, wide-spread challenges — demand for our programs and guidance is at an all-time high.

As the year comes to a close, please consider donating to JED to help ensure we can meet this demand now and in the months ahead.