Born This Way Foundation

TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND WORK WITH THEM TO BUILD A KINDER AND BRAVER WORLD.

THE KINDNESS IN COMMUNITY FUND IS A GRANT PROGRAM FROM BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS. THE FUND WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE FREE, ACCESSIBLE, COMMUNITY-INFORMED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR YOUTH IN COORDINATION WITH LADY GAGA'S THE CHROMATICA BALL SUMMER STADIUM TOUR U.S. DATES. GRANTS ARE USED TO SUPPORT A VARIETY OF MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES, SUCH AS PROVIDING THERAPY AND COUNSELING SERVICES, OFFERING PEER SUPPORT GROUPS, CREATING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, AND ADVOCATING FOR MENTAL HEALTH POLICIES

#BEKIND21BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION HOSTS #BEKIND21 ANNUALLY, WHICH CALLS ON PARTICIPANTS TO PRACTICE AN ACT OF KINDNESS EACH DAY FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 21ST WITH THE MISSION OF BUILDING KINDER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES THAT FOSTER MENTAL WELLNESS. INDIVIDUALS ARE INVITED TO TAKE THE PLEDGE AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA USING THE HASHTAG #BEKIND21. WE MAKE SURE TO MEET OUR PARTICIPANTS WHERE THEY ARE, SHARING GRAPHICS REMINDING THEM THAT KINDNESS IS PRIORITIZING TIME TO CARE FOR YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH, KINDNESS IS CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, KINDNESS IS ADVOCATING FOR AN INCLUSIVE WORLD THAT CELEBRATES EVERYONE FOR WHO THEY ARE, AND MORE.#BEKIND365BUILDING OFF THE SUCCESS OF #BEKIND21, #BEKIND365 IS A DIGITAL PLATFORM CREATED BY BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO PRACTICE ACTS OF KINDNESS 365 DAYS A YEAR. THE PLATFORM OFFERS A VARIETY OF RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE GET STARTED, INCLUDING A CURATED KINDNESS GENERATOR, A GRATITUDE POSTAL SERVICE, AND AN INVITATION TO CHANNEL KINDNESS, OUR GLOBAL YOUTH STORYTELLING PLATFORM. #BEKIND365 IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT KINDNESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT ACTS OF KINDNESS CAN IMPROVE OUR MOOD, REDUCE STRESS, AND BOOST OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. THEY CAN ALSO HELP US CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS. THE #BEKIND365 PLATFORM IS A WAY TO MAKE KINDNESS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE IT A PART OF THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. BY PRACTICING KINDNESS, WE CAN HELP CREATE A KINDER, BRAVER WORLD FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OTHERS. JOIN THE MOVEMENT AT BEKIND365.WORLDCHANNEL KINDNESSCHANNEL KINDNESS IS BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION'S DIGITAL PLATFORM THAT ENCOURAGES YOUNG PEOPLE TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SHARE STORIES OF KINDNESS, RESILIENCE, AND COMMUNITY. VISITORS CAN FIND AND SHARE STORIES, TAKE ACTION, AND BRING KINDNESS INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS. AT LEAST 1-IN-10 SITE VISITORS TAKE ACTION, AND THE PLATFORM IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS "THE KINDEST CORNER ON THE INTERNET." THE PLATFORM ALSO OFFERS RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH YOUTH-FIRST ORGANIZATIONS. OUR CHANNEL KINDNESS STORYTELLERS CLUB, AN INNOVATIVE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON SPACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO: ENGAGE IN CREATIVITY, KINDNESS, AND BRAVERY WITH THEIR PEERS WRITE FREELY AND CREATIVELY ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES FEEL CONFIDENT IN SHARING THEIR STORIES IN A SAFE, ACCEPTING, AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT. OUR KIND COMMUNITIES RESEARCH SHOWS OVER 70% OF YOUNG PEOPLE USE CREATIVE ACTIVITIES TO HELP IMPROVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. VISIT HTTPS://WWW.CHANNELKINDNESS.ORG/ TO LEARN MORE AND SHARE YOUR OWN STORY.RESEARCHWE BELIEVE RESEARCH IS A POWERFUL TOOL TO HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEMS FACING OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUILD A KINDER, BRAVER WORLD. THAT'S WHY WE WORK WITH LEADING EXPERTS AND YOUTH THEMSELVES TO CONDUCT AND AMPLIFY QUALITY RESEARCH. IT IS IN COLLECTING AND DOCUMENTING YOUTH EXPERIENCES OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT THEIR WELLBEING THAT WE CAN MOST EFFECTIVELY LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES AND ENSURE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS GROUNDED IN THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE. FIND MORE HERE: HTTPS://BORNTHISWAY.FOUNDATION/RESEARCH-SURVEY/ TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID THE TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (TMHFA) PROGRAM, LAUNCHED BY BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION AND THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MENTAL WELLBEING, TEACHES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT PEERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE CHALLENGES. THE FIVE-STEP TMHFA ACTION PLAN INCLUDES LOOKING FOR WARNING SIGNS, ASKING HOW THEY ARE, LISTENING UP, HELPING THEM CONNECT WITH AN ADULT, AND EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP. THE PROGRAM COVERS HOW TO START A CONVERSATION, COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, THE IMPACT OF BULLYING ON MENTAL WELLBEING, AND HOW TO SEEK HELP FROM TRUSTED ADULTS. THE TMHFA TRAINING HAS BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY, REDUCE STIGMA, AND IMPROVE REPORTED PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. THE PROGRAM HAS REACHED NEARLY 6,000 STUDENTS AND TRAINED OVER 82,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IT CAN BE TAUGHT IN-PERSON OR BLENDED, AND CERTIFICATION AS A TMHFA INSTRUCTOR IS AVAILABLE. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT HTTPS://WWW.MENTALHEALTHFIRSTAID.ORG/TEENS/.#PLEASESTAYPLEDGEWE PARTNERED WITH OUR FRIENDS AT FIND YOUR ANCHOR TO CREATE THE #PLEASESTAYPLEDGE, A RESOURCE AND PLEDGE ENCOURAGING ANYONE WHO VISITS THE SITE TO FIND RESOURCES FOR SUPPORT, EVIDENCE-BASED SELF-CARE TIPS, SOULFILLING ACTS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR ANCHORS TO KEEP YOU HERE. LEARN MORE AT PLEASESTAY.US

FOUNDED BY JACK.ORG IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION, THE BE THERE CERTIFICATE IS A FREE ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH COURSE, AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND SPANISH, THAT OFFERS A SIMPLE, ACTIONABLE FRAMEWORK TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHEN SOMEONE MIGHT BE STRUGGLING, UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING THAT PERSON, AND LEARN HOW TO CONNECT THEM TO THE HELP THEY NEED AND DESERVE. THE BE THERE CERTIFICATE IS MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (AND ANYONE!)

IN HONOR OF PRIDE, BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION PLEDGED TO GIVE AND MATCH ALL FUNDS RAISED IN JUNE TO EMERGING LGBTQ+ ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE U.S. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTERLINK, AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK THAT STRENGTHENS, SUPPORTS, AND CONNECTS LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH A COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, AND CORPORATE PARTNERS, WE RAISED AND MATCHED FUNDS TO DISTRIBUTE AMONGST ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TIRELESSLY TO CONNECT YOUNG PEOPLE WITH NEEDED CARE, AFFIRMATION, AND ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR WELLNESS.