Mental Health Awareness Month and World Mental Health Day are two of the many opportunities for your company to support causes and groups committed to reducing mental health stigma, providing mental healthcare, and preventing suicides.
How your company can celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month
The following initiatives were curated by our team of social impact experts that execute thoughtful social impact efforts for our customers every day. Some of these initiatives are easy enough to accomplish internally, but for others, you will need to lean on a social impact program or team.
Don’t have a social impact program or team? Learn more about Percent Pledge powered customized social impact programs, a single source for donations, volunteering, charity vetting, & impact reports.
[1] Donations
Our Percent Pledge Mental Health Cause Portfolio contains three highly-regarded, thoroughly vetted nonprofits that help take the guesswork out of choosing the right organization for your company and employees to donate to and partner with.
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people under the age of 25. The organization works to save lives by giving free and confidential access to trained crisis counselors on platforms where young people spend their time. These services and programs include TrevorLifeline, the nation's only 24/7 crisis and suicide prevention lifeline; TrevorText, which connects LGBTQ youth to a trained counselor; TrevorChat, an instant messaging service providing live help by trained volunteers; and, TrevorSpace, the world's largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth.
Child Mind Institute
Child Mind Institute is an independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. Half of all mental illness occurs before the age of 14, and 75 percent by the age of 24. In spite of the magnitude of the problem, lack of awareness and entrenched stigma keep the majority of these young people from getting help. The Child Mind Institute works every day to deliver the highest standards of care, advance the science of the developing brain and empower parents, professionals, and policymakers to support children when and where they need it most.
Hope for the Day
Hope For The Day (HFTD) is a nonprofit movement empowering the conversation on proactive suicide prevention and mental health education. HFTD started in Chicago music venues doing outreach. Since those humble beginnings, it has evolved and grown to pioneer programming that it calls Proactive Prevention. Through outreach and mental health education, it strives to empower early intervention on mental health challenges and disrupt the highest risk factors for suicide.
Percent Pledge allows all companies and employees to donate to these nonprofits simultaneously through its Workplace Giving Platform.
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[2] Volunteering
Time is invaluable, and volunteering your company’s time, while inspiring your employees to do the same, is often the greatest gift you can give. It’s the perfect team-building event and can have an incredibly positive impact on your employees and company.
Get involved where it matters most
Organize a group of employees to volunteer at the Crisis Text Line—a free, 24/7 text line for people in crisis in the United States. Crisis Text Line is powered by volunteer Crisis Counselors who train and work remotely, anywhere with a computer and secure internet connection. It all begins with training. In 30 hours, volunteers walk away knowing reflective listening, collaborative problem-solving, and crisis management—skills they can apply anywhere.
Share your personal story
IDONTMIND is on a mission to inspire open conversations about mental health and to provide free resources, education, and encouragement for anyone who needs it. Their I Don't Mind Journal looks for personal stories and opinion pieces about mental health from unique and diverse voices. When people open up about their mental health journey, they make it easier for other people to do the same. Encourage your employees to contribute their stories.
Be a voice of support
NAMI is dedicated to improving the lives of millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Their ongoing awareness, education, and advocacy efforts include advocating for a better crisis response system, developing resources for youth and young adults, and the NAMI HelpLine. HelpLine volunteers work to answer questions, offer support, and provide practical next steps. Assemble a group of employees to volunteer with your local NAMI.
A single volunteer event takes 20-30 hours to plan and execute. Learn how Percent Pledge saves your company that time by organizing customized volunteer events.
[3] Other ways to support mental health at your company
Inspire your employees to get involved to spread support. No gesture is too small.
Give children the support they deserve
Invite employees to attend a webinar led by a Child Mind Institute clinician. CMI offers members of your team a safe place to ask questions, share concerns, and discuss ways to support their families.
Get off the grid
A proper work-life balance is of utmost importance. Encourage your employees to take time for themselves and disconnect from social media, emails, alerts, and interruptions.
Send positive vibes
Our lives are full of more joy and positivity than we realize, but we often fail to acknowledge it, so take a few minutes to do just that. Organize an Employee Gratitude Challenge, and encourage your team members to write down three things they’re grateful for–in their professional or personal lives.
Find a breakdown of each of these efforts and more for your company to make a positive impact this May by downloading our Mental Health Kit. Again, if you need help pursuing these initiatives, learn more about Percent Pledge’s proven social impact program and team of experts by requesting a demo.
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