I am currently biking the Southern Tier from Jacksonville, Florida to San Francisco, California with two of my friends, Luke and Mike. This will take us a couple of months and is roughly around 3,200 miles. All we have is a few bags on the sides of our bikes, tents, and sleeping bags. 

 

I have decided to commit myself to this journey in the hopes to raise awareness to mental health and substance abuse issues. I have seen the negative impact of these issues first hand, and know several friends and family members who have struggled with them. Millions of families are affected by these issues every day. I think it is so important (particularly amongst young people) to raise awareness about mental health and fight to end the stigma attached with it. 

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My friends and I decided to raise money for two amazing organizations, NAMI Massachusetts and The Jed Foundation.

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Here is a little bit about each organization:

NAMI Massachusetts- offers support and resources for hundreds of thousands of families throughout the US. NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.

The Jed Foundation- focuses intensely on mental health and suicide prevention in teens and young adults. JED partners with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention programs and systems.

 

One of my primary goals for this fundraiser is to ensure that everyone reading this whether it be yourself, a family member, or a friend has the resources they need. 

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So please join us in our fight against the stigma surrounded by these issues. Donate if you’re able, follow along with my journey, and spread awareness! Thank you all so much!