The Jed Foundation has staked its mission on a simple belief: emotional health is as vital as physical health, and it can be protected with the right support at the right time. Founded to serve America's teens and young adults, JED works through partnerships with schools and colleges across the country, embedding mental health resources and crisis prevention directly where young people learn and live.
At its core, JED's work addresses a pressing national reality. Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young people in the United States, yet many teens and young adults lack access to timely emotional support or don't know where to find it. The foundation responds by equipping educational institutions with practical tools, training, and evidence-based strategies to protect student wellbeing and catch warning signs before crisis escalates.
The organization connects young people in distress with immediate, confidential help. For anyone experiencing a mental health emergency, JED points people toward the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline—a free, 24/7 service available by phone, text, or chat where trained counselors provide immediate support. Additionally, those in crisis can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741, another round-the-clock resource. For situations requiring emergency intervention, JED advises calling 911 and clearly communicating that mental health crisis support is needed.
But JED's reach extends far beyond crisis hotlines. By working directly with schools and colleges, the foundation embeds prevention into the fabric of student life. This approach recognizes that young people spend much of their time in educational settings—and that peers, teachers, and counselors in those environments are often the first to notice when someone is struggling. Through training and resource-sharing, JED helps these institutions recognize warning signs, respond with compassion, and connect students to appropriate care.
The foundation's timing is strategic. May marks Mental Health Awareness Month across the United States, an annual moment to elevate conversations about emotional wellbeing and remove stigma surrounding mental health challenges. JED uses this visibility to encourage people to move beyond passive awareness into active support—whether by donating to expand services, volunteering, or simply learning how to help someone in their own community.
Current fundraising efforts underscore JED's urgency. During May, the foundation is matching donations to double their impact, meaning every dollar given by May 31 will be amplified to fund more partnerships, more training, and more lives reached. This gives supporters a direct way to tangibly increase the number of young people who gain access to protective resources.
The statistics are sobering, but JED's approach offers hope: emotional health is teachable, preventable crises can be averted, and young people deserve support that meets them where they are. By anchoring prevention work in schools and colleges while maintaining accessible crisis support for those in immediate danger, JED addresses both the architecture of wellness and the urgency of emergency.
For young people navigating the pressures of adolescence and early adulthood, knowing that help is available 24/7 and that entire institutions are being trained to support their wellbeing can be transformative. That's the promise JED is building across America—one school, one college, one connected young person at a time.