Gregg,

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on our mental health.

Millions of people are experiencing significantly heightened levels of stress and trauma due to concerns about physical health, financial issues, displacement, physical isolation, uncertainty about the future, and grief, among other factors. Teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to these stressors. This is why many predict that a secondary pandemic of mental health challenges, including suicide, will likely follow.

The crisis has laid bare what we already know: youth mental health resources and support are urgently needed across the country. Our work is needed now more than ever.

Recognizing this urgent moment, a generous donor has agreed to match every gift made to JED through May 5. If you have the means, please consider making a donation right now. Double your impact by making a gift today.

Due to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19, it is difficult to predict the specific ways the pandemic will impact mental health. But we know we must be prepared. Since the beginning of the outbreak in the U.S., demand for JED’s work has increased substantially, and we expect the need for free and accessible mental health resources that address the current issues to continue for an extended period of time.

Here’s what we’re doing right now:

·         Real-time technical assistance for schools: As a trusted partner of high schools, colleges, and universities across the country, JED is delivering resources and expertise to help schools adapt and respond to student mental health needs now and for when students return to school.
 

·         Actionable COVID-19 mental health support and resources for all audiences: Schools, community organizations, youth, and their families are reaching out to JED in record numbers for information, training, resources, and support. We’re responding by providing “sold out” virtual workshops, shareable resources and individualized consultations, and we will continue to scale up to meet the needs of our community.
 

·         Long-term needs: We are planning for the future by augmenting our programs to explicitly address the mental health impacts of this pandemic. We are also expanding our capacity to be able to help more schools and youth-serving organizations strengthen their approaches to supporting student mental health and preventing suicide.

Your gift today will enable our team to adapt and scale our programs and resources to support the mental health of our nation’s youth now. By doing so, we can help young people get through this unprecedented time and maintain a sense of hope about their futures.

By making a donation today, your gift will go twice as far to help JED reach and support more young people during this time of uncertainty.

With sincere thanks,

John MacPhee
Executive Director and CEO

P.S. Learn about other ways to support JED, such as gifts through an IRA, gifts of stock and more.