Record-breaking amount of $3.9 million raised to scale JED’s life-saving work as organization commemorates 25 years of unwavering commitment to protecting emotional health and preventing suicide for teens and young adults nationwide
[June 4, 2024, New York City] — The Jed Foundation (JED), a leading nonprofit, hosted its annual Gala last night at Cipriani Wall Street. The sold-out event raised a record-breaking $3.9 million to support JED’s mission to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults by strengthening schools, equipping individuals, and mobilizing communities. Emmy Award–winning journalist Savannah Sellers served as the evening’s host.
Phillip M. Satow, Co-founder, Board Member, and former Chairman of the Board of The Jed Foundation, was presented with the Visionary Award by Robert Kraft, CEO of the New England Patriots and JED Gala Chair. Satow spoke movingly in his acceptance speech. “Donna and I founded The Jed Foundation in order to answer the question that Jed’s college president asked us in 1999: ‘What should I do for a student body of 30,000 to keep them safe?’” Satow said. “If we could answer that question — while it couldn’t save our Jed, it might offer other families a path to avoiding our pain. The Jed Foundation played a major role as an initiator and accelerator of that change. We have heard this evening about the crucial work the foundation is doing: Suicide attempts happen less at JED Campus schools, fewer young people are suffering from depression and anxiety when JED programs are in place, and graduation rates are higher at JED Campus schools. The Jed Foundation is truly fulfilling its promise. Looking ahead, it has so much more promise to build its future on.” For more information about the impact of JED Campus programming, read A Decade of Improving College Mental Health Systems: JED Campus Impact Report.
The event, themed Fulfilling Our Promise, was a heartwarming gathering and celebration of more than 740 individuals and organizations, all steadfast in their commitment to help teens and young adults thrive.
Robert and Dana Kraft served as honorary co-chairs of the event alongside Gala Host Committee co-chairs Richard Pechter and Fred Poses and committee members Lisa Carnoy, Joseph Gregory, Robert Johnston, Thomas Mendell, Philip Milstein, Stephanie Stiefel, and Richard Witten. There were remarks from U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Co-founder of The Kennedy Forum and former U.S. Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy. The evening also included special performances by Young People’s Chorus of New York City; Grammy-winning and Tony-nominated actor Jenn Colella; Drama Desk Award–nominated actor Liam Pearce; and Tony-, Emmy-, Grammy-, and Pulitzer-winning composer Thomas Robert Kitt. Photos from the evening are available here.
Maybelline New York was honored with the Corporate Voice of Mental Health Award for promoting candid conversations around mental health through its Brave Together program. Through the program and together with JED, Maybelline New York created Brave Talk, a training that equips students with the skills to support their peers who may be struggling and helps to connect them to care. To date, Brave Talk has been implemented in universities worldwide and is now available in 28 countries. By 2030, the goal of Brave Together is to help 10 million people with free, professional one-to-one support so no one has to struggle alone.
Last month, Maybelline’s Brave Together program was spotlighted on the new docuseries “Healthier Together,” produced by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions and presented by the WHO Foundation. The series highlighted the Brave Together program’s impact on the ground with local NGOs in India, Japan, and the U.S., including JED. “It is truly an honor to have Maybelline New York be recognized by The Jed Foundation as a brand making an impact on global mental health,” said Trisha Ayyagari, Global Brand President for Maybelline New York. “It is a testament to the important work our NGO partners are doing on the ground. Our goal is to make free one-to-one support accessible to everyone. We still have a long way to go and are fully committed.”
Rick Yang, a Harvard-bound senior at Scarsdale High School in New York, and Areli Rosales, a University of Texas at San Antonio sophomore, were honored as the 2024 JED Student Voice of Mental Health Award winners. They were recognized for their exceptional efforts in promoting mental health and creating support networks among their peers.
“In a world where young people face challenges like never before, The Jed Foundation has stood as a beacon of hope and action for 25 years,” said John MacPhee, JED CEO. “Inspired by the vision of our co-founder Phillip M. Satow, we’ve been steadfast in our efforts to help schools and communities build stronger communities of caring around young people to help support their mental health and reduce risks for suicide. We are deeply grateful for the consistent support from our community and partners, which has allowed us to help protect and foster the well-being of countless teens and young adults. As we commemorate this important milestone, we renew our commitment to a society that holds youth mental health at its heart.”
Photo Credit: Priyanca Rao Photography
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
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Media Contact
Justin Barbo
Director, Public Relations
The Jed Foundation
Justin@jedfoundation.org
(914) 844-4611
If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone right now, text, call, or chat 988 for a free confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7.
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