Striving toward the day when no teen dies by suicide.

Heath & Omar are fighting the next public health crisis...

On April 15th, Heath Saffer and Omar Baloch will begin a 4300 mile journey across the country - CYCLE4LIFE - muscling through everything the elements throw at them, because they lost their childhood friend, Devon Rubenstein, to suicide. Teen suicide rates are skyrocketing across the country and they are determined to do something about it.

Heath Saffer (left) Omar Baloch (right)

Follow their journey on Instagram & social media.

Through this extraordinary challenge, Heath and Omar will raise awareness and critical funds for a publicly funded yet powerful, proven suicide prevention program called Our Minds Matter (OMM). With the necessary funds, OMM could be offered to high school students across the United States... and not a moment too soon:

The Next Public Health Crisis

According to experts, suicide is now the second leading cause of deaths among young adults, ages 15-24, in the United States. Teens today are reporting the highest levels of stress, anxiety and depression in recent decades. The Center for Disease Control projects that mental health will be the next public health crisis after the pandemic. But despite this frightening projection, public mental health services are strapped for resources. According to the Department of Education, the vast majority of American schools do not have the federally mandated number of counselors or other recommended forms of mental health support.

OMM has provided in-school mental health support to more than 125 schools and approximately 100,000 students since its inception in 2012.

TWO ways to give to the CYCLE4LIFE CAMPAIGN:

1. Click the DONATE button for general donations

2. Become a Cycle4Life Sponsor (see below).

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

A Special Thanks To Our Generous Sponsors!

Gold - $10,000

Silver - $5,000

Bronze - $1,000

To become a sponsor, contact Lauren Anderson - lauren@ourmindsmatter.org.

Our Minds Matter on the frontlines

OMM provides training and material support that empowers student leaders to deliver effective peer to peer activities on topics such as Mental Health 101, Stigma Reduction, Resource Awareness, and Healthy Habits. We have come to regard "mental health" as a team sport; whereby empowering students to support others creates a grassroots movement and personalized advocacy that is needed for cultural change.

80% of participating students report feelings of greater mental wellness after participating in OMM

"OMM has taught me how to de-stress when I’m feeling anxious."

"Ever since I found this club, I have been actively working to make an impact, because OMM is amazing. Over the summer I was in a really bad space mentally, and I found that helping others and sharing my story helped me cope by turning my anxiety into positive energy. I couldn't be any happier to have brought OMM to our school ... I can't wait to see the positive impact we will have at our school."

"Fairfax County Public Schools(FCPS) greatly values our partnership with Our Minds Matter. FCPS and OMM started working together in 2012 and began the first student-led club model in 2016. Each year the program expands and OMM is now in 23 of our 26 FCPS high schools. Our student leaders have continued during this pandemic to make sure our schools are a place where all are accepted and work to promote mental wellness in a virtual manner. Our Minds Matter has made an impact in our schools and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Our Minds Matter. "

Dr. Scott Brabrand, Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools.

For more testimonials, click here.