(San Francisco, CA) September 7, 2011 – The Inspire USA Foundation, the non-profit organization behind the youth mental health site ReachOut.com, today announced it has received a $5,000 advertising grant from StumbleUpon to increase the organization’s awareness throughout September, Suicide Prevention Month. StumbleUpon is a discovery engine that recommends the best mobile and web content for every user. As you click “Stumble!,” the product delivers uniquely recommended pages based on your personal preferences.

Inspire USA has received a grant from the Stumbling for Good program, StumbleUpon’s advertising program for non-profit organizations. As part of this program, StumbleUpon donates credits for its Paid Discovery advertising program to drive engaged traffic to an organization’s web pages. With Paid Discovery, Inspire USA and ReachOut will be able to insert web pages directly into the stream of recommended content and reach audiences that are interested in learning more about ReachOut.com.

“With today’s tech savvy youth, we couldn’t be more appreciative to receive this generous grant from StumbleUpon during Suicide Prevention Month,” said Anastasia Goodstein, Director of Digital Programs for the Inspire USA Foundation. “StumbleUpon’s demographics are perfect for promoting ReachOut.com, thanks to this grant, if young adults using the service are going through a tough time, or have a friend in need of support, they will find ReachOut first and get the help and information they need.”

Inspire USA and ReachOut will launch its StumbleUpon discovery campaign during the week of September 10, National Suicide Awareness Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented. Throughout the world, suicide continues to be a path millions of young people consider.

• Each day 11 young Americans die by suicide – the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults.
• In an average high school classroom of 30 students, over the past year, 8 have had extended periods of feeling hopeless, 4 have seriously contemplated suicide, 3 have drawn up a plan, and 2 have attempted suicide.
• In 2009, the Institute of Medicine calculated the annual cost of youth mental, emotional and behavioral disorders was $287 billion.

With the help of StumbleUpon and the continual growth of ReachOut.com, Inspire USA hopes to do its part of prevent suicides by fostering help-seeking behavior and providing young people with evidence-based information and supports, real life stories and the ability to connect and contribute in a safe and supported community.

About ReachOut.com

ReachOut.com is an initiative of the Inspire USA Foundation (www.inspireusafoundation.org), which is a national organization with a mission of helping millions of young people lead happier lives. Reachout.com is a safe, supportive community where teens and young adults can learn about mental health issues, read and contribute real life stories, and find resources to get help. ReachOut can also be found on twitter @ReachOutInUSA.

Do Something Awards is no ordinary awards ceremony; it is a celebration centered on the spirit of volunteerism, honoring those that have used their ideas to change lives. I had the honor to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles on August 14th with Anastasia Goodstein and Elizabeth Rosenberg – two of the amazing staff members behind the Inspire USA Foundation – and I watched in awe as some of the most inspirational young leaders of today were presented as finalists for the Grand Prize. Leaders, such as Taryn Guerrero Davis founder of The American Widow Project, a support network for widows of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Adam Lowy, who utilizes the resources of moving companies to help combat hunger   in the U.S. with his project Move For Hunger.
Indeed, the Do Something Award Grand Prize is the premiere national award for social action: finalists and winners represent the foremost “do-ers” in their field or cause, often educating the public, engaging the media and local governments, and collaborating with other not-for-profits to maximize their impact. In short, each finalist works tirelessly to improve the lives of other people, requiring a strong commitment to both the community and to social change.

In the moments before the winner of the $100,000 grand prize was announced the anticipation and excitement were palpable: people around me were holding their breath, the finalists had their hands tightly entwined – as a show of their camaraderie – and all I could think was that I wish they could all win that grand prize. In the end, though, only a single finalist was named The Do Something Award Grand Prize Winner, a lengthy title to be sure, yet worthy of its recipient Sarah Cronk. Her project, The Sparkle Effect, uses the power of cheerleading to foster acceptance among teens with disabilities. In truth, though, they are all winners since each finalist is awarded $10,000 upon nomination but more so because their ideas have actually changed lives and their efforts have inspired other young people to action.

In the final moments of the ceremony and long after, my thoughts were consumed by the realization that organizations like DoSomething.org and the Inspire USA Foundation are important because of their extensive and far-reaching impact on the lives of others. DoSomething.org has been around for more than a decade, but I believe it is crucial to remember that it all began with the idea of a single individual. It is a powerful feeling to know that a single person has the potential to make a difference in our world, and I thank DoSomething.org for that reminder.

Here’s what they had to say:

Ray: Working with these stories was interesting. I personally remember going through some tough times of my own and dealing with it through the use of media, writing, and art. To hear other people’s stories was really inspiring especially when you read one that you can relate to. One story that I really related to was the “Success is different for everyone.” I remember days when I felt stressed because I felt my grades had to be great and I couldn’t fail a class. I related a lot as well because I also realized sometimes you can only be good at one thing, and not only that, but you have to have fun and relax or else you’ll get burnt out quickly.

As a filmmaker, it was a challenge to get the stories of the individuals across without changing the core content of the story or just completely changing it. We tried our best to keep the stories as is. Visually, it was a challenge not to over exaggerate a negative image that would depress someone rather than uplift them. So, we had to figure out subtle ways of conveying things.

Overall, I feel the stories came out great, they all have a strong uplifting message that we can all learn from. After going through my own personal issues and reading about others who have surpassed a tough time, I feel that a healthy state of mind is key. Emotional health and our state of mind is just as important as our physical condition and I hope we all learn to better take care of ourselves, both physically, mentally and emotionally.

Lauren: Working with Inspire/ReachOut really opened my eyes to all the help out there for those going through mental health issues.  I think that a lot of people going through a difficult time don’t know that there are online communities like ReachOut that offer stories, facts and help/guidance on a wide variety of mental health issues.  What ReachOut.com offers is very cool, and through this experience I will be able to educate others about ReachOut.com and what it has to offer.

I felt that the eight stories offered a variety of different experiences, emotions, methods of coping, etc. I felt that because we were given such a variety, we were able to pick the four stories that represented a collection of issues that many teens would be able to relate to. These stories all offered background information, the issue the person dealt with, coping, overcoming that issue and moving forward.

I think that the messages all the stories had were great because they were about real and personal issues, but they will leave the viewer/reader feeling hopeful. I think anybody could watch any of the four videos and see a little bit of themselves in the character, and share with the character the happiness and the feeling of hope when the character overcomes the problem.

You can take a look at the videos here:

And ReachOut Youth Council Members, Chloe, Brandon and Lauren, even took time out of their already busy summit schedule to brainstorm together about how they could capture the stories about their fellow Youth Council Members. They developed interview questions and brainstormed together about how they could create one film linking parts of individual stories. The result was a powerful short film encompassing the struggles that the Youth Council Members faced and the ways in which they overcame these obstacles.

It’s a project driven by young people – giving voice to their stories and also utilizing their filmmaking skills. It’s been an educational and inspirational process to hear their stories of overcoming hard times and to observe a talented group of young filmmakers at BAVC reinterpret these unique stories into a universal message of perseverance and hope.

We recently had a virtual meeting (see photo of Alex leading the meeting) with the BAVC filmmakers and the San Mateo youth to give feedback on their initial ideas. It’s been a truly collaborative process on all ends and we are looking forward to seeing the final film at the end of August.

The weekend of July 1st was an adventure for the ReachOut Youth Council, who ventured to the West Coast for some ReachOut team bonding and R&R at the Still Heart Institute in Woodside, CA. We took part in ice breakers to get to know each other better and learned about how each of us could make a contribution to ReachOut. We participated in activities such as mock-interviews, round table discussions and our own attempts at the age-old classic “Big Booty.”

One of the highlights for me took place on Saturday when those with a strong will—and the ability to adjust to time zone changes—joined staff members Emily, Alex and Susan on a 7:30am hike around the grounds.  After some interesting detours, we ended up at the Buddha statue, which was set against the backdrop of a gorgeous waterfall.  More council members, led by Anastasia, who had left only moments after we did joined us in front of the statue – no one said patience was our strong point. We pointed out different plants and creatures to each other, took pictures together, and watched the rising sun glint through the tops of the trees, gathering in rays of light above us.  Despite our exhaustion, we were able to clearly see the beauty we were engulfed in, surrounded by the perfect strangers, including the Inspire staff and other council members, who would over the course of the retreat become close friends.

One of the most impressive team building activities was agreed to be when we were divided into random groups to create a collage of what we saw the future of ReachOut to be.  Most teams discussed the social networking and viral aspect of our efforts, while others took a more “vagabond” approach–word of mouth and the possibility of ReachOut communities in our home towns.  We discussed all of our collages extensively, committing ourselves to the future of the cause.

The atmosphere of the retreat was one that could not be created elsewhere—fountains, delicious food, several meditation areas and a pool surrounded by glass walls, the entirety set within the redwood forest.  We were lucky to be in such quality company, volunteering our time to propel the future of ReachOut and the council members who represent the site.

Recently, we received the news that she has received a Jefferson Award for Public Service. Lauren is certainly an inspiration to those around her and a shining example of a young person who overcame hard times by finding her passion and commitment to causes, like promoting positive mental health. We feel fortunate to have her as part of the ReachOut team, as she continues to work to help young people lead better lives by inspiring them through her work and her commitment.

Music festivals, like Bonnaroo, always sounded like a lot of fun to me, but I never imagined that attending one would have such an impact on me as a person and as a member of an organization. Bonnaroo 2011 was more than a crowd of people listening to music and camping out- it was a chance to spread the word about ReachOut.com, talk to people from all walks of life and participate in something special.

The Inspire Bonnaroo team – Emily, Alex, Rasika, Mackenzie, Wilfredo, and I -arrived at the 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee on June 8, a day before the festival began, to set up our booth. The booth was located in Planet Roo, an area with other non-profit organizations were spreading the word about their causes, We stocked the booth with ReachOut stickers, pins, temporary tattoos, bookmarks, and postcards. Our goal over the course of the four days, was to attract people to the booth, tell them about ReachOut and compile a list of emails to send out more details about the site. And, overall, we just wanted to spread the word about ReachOut to the people at Bonnaroo.

Talking to thousands of people about ReachOut not only helped to spread the word, but also made us all realize the importance of the organization and the website, and how far-reaching our efforts can go if we keep working.  We handed out thousands of stickers, pins, and tattoos, and over 300 people wrote inspirational notes to themselves on our ReachOut postcards.

Each one of us had stories to share about the moments we had with festivalgoers, including both parents and young people. Parents told us that they wished something like ReachOut existed when they were young, or that they were going to let their teens know about the site. Young people described a personal connection to our cause, and some even expressed an interest in volunteering for the organization in the future.

We all agreed that Inspire’s time at Bonnaroo was a huge success. The six of us, along with over 100,000 people who went to Bonnaroo, braved the heat and adapted to this unique way of life for four days for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For the sake of the Inspire Foundation, and for the many young people who could benefit from ReachOut, we hope that there will be many more experiences like this to come. We worked hard to reach out to the people at Bonnaroo, and in return, Bonnaroo left a lasting impression on each of us.

Check out the photos from Bonnaroo here.

Tell us a bit more about yourself

I’m an Air Force brat. I moved 14 times before I was fourteen years old, and as a result I am very adaptable, love change, but can always work with what I’m given.

When I discovered that I had to pass Physics II to become an Air Force pilot like my dad, I conveniently realized that I was more of a people person and switched to a psychology major. Not finding anything in my field after arriving in San Francisco in 1994, I got something close – a position as a recruiter helping to place people in the careers that they wanted, which I loved.

When I moved to Maui in 1999, I started in a bookstore because of my love of reading. Even when I moved back to San Francisco, after three years in Hawaii, I stayed in the same industry. I managed small and then large stores in the Bay Area, but after a combined ten years of retail, I finally decided to take a break and took a year off to travel, cook, and of course read.

Why did you want to join the Inspire USA Foundation?

When I started looking for a job, I made a concrete decision about what I wanted to do. Instead of falling into a job, I would deliberately look for an organization that did good for others, that treated its employees well and that cared about a work/life balance.

When I met Jack and the Inspire team, I knew that this would be it, since it nailed all aspects of what I was looking for in a job and an organization. Working to help youth lead happier lives is indeed a wonderful banner to be supporting and I am very excited to be a part of the Inspire team.

What have you enjoyed most about working for the organization?

I love the people that I work with! Having previously spent so many years in the retail industry, it is wonderful change to be in such a caring and supportive environment. I recently had the opportunity to attend the annual Youth Council Summit, which introduced me to the youth participation component of Inspire and ReachOut.  The young people, who volunteer their time as Youth Council members for ReachOut, are impressive and inspiring! I was in awe of their dedication and drive to help others.

All in all, Inspire and the cause that we work for helps me become a better person and I thank my lucky stars that I am a part of it!

(San Francisco, CA) May 2, 2011 – Today the Inspire USA Foundation, the non-profit organization behind the youth mental health site ReachOut.com, is releasing a list of recommended young adult fiction titles dealing with a range of issues like depression and eating disorders. Inspire USA is also announcing a schedule of live YA author chats on Ustream throughout the month of May, which is Mental Health Awareness month. The chats are listed at http://reachout.com/reachoutreads.

The goal of this campaign is to promote positive mental health and build awareness of ReachOut.com a resource for teen and young adult readers of popular YA fiction. The list of books was developed by YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, and has been reviewed by Inspire USA staff for positive mental health content. Inspire USA will also be sending out over 50K bookmarks containing 10 of the titles to young adult librarians across the country.

“As the CEO of Inspire and a father of a teenaged daughter, I know how popular these books are with young readers,” said Jack Heath, founder and CEO of Inspire USA Foundation. “We’re thrilled to be engaging with young adult librarians, YA bloggers and publishers to get the word out about ReachOut.”

The 10 titles on the ReachOut Reads Bookmarks are:

On Bullying
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010)

On Depression
It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (Hyperion, 2006)

On Eating Disorders
Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos (Simon & Schuster, 2006)

On Helping A Friend
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher (HarperTeen, 2003)

On Manic Depression/Bipolar Disorder
Nobel Genes, by Rune Michaels (Atheneum, 2010)

On Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Ball Don’t Lie by Matt de la Pena (Delacorte, 2005)

On Schizophrenia
A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler (Flux, 2010)

On Self Harm
Cut by Patricia McCormick (Front Street, 2000)

On Suicide
Hold Still by Nina LaCour (Dutton, 2009)

On Abuse
The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin (Penguin Group USA/Dial, 2006)

About ReachOut.com

ReachOut.com is an initiative of the Inspire USA Foundation (www.inspireusafoundation.org), which is a national organization with a mission of helping millions of young people lead happier lives. Reachout.com is a safe, supportive community where teens and young adults can learn about mental health issues, read and contribute real life stories, and find resources to get help. Reachout can also be found on twitter @ReachOutInUSA.