Hometown Heroes Presented by the Jameson: Our Minds Matter

Washington Spirit  |   June 28, 2021
Hometown Heroes Presented by the Jameson: Our Minds Matter Featured Image

Jordan Small
WashingtonSpirit.com

Leesburg, VA, (06/28/21) – As a professional soccer franchise in the nation’s capital, the Washington Spirit is committed to making an impact on those around us. Since driving change is a collaborative effort, we’ve partnered with a number of incredible organizations to fully serve those in the community.  

Now that we’ve introduced you to our community partners, we want to share with you some organizations that are making an impact in the Washington, D.C. region. Today, our community spotlight will feature Our Minds Matter.

Our Minds Matter was founded in 2012 in Vienna, VA with the mission of ending teen suicide. When it first started, it was called the Josh Anderson Foundation, named after Josh Anderson, a 17-year-old who died by suicide in 2009. The foundation’s mission is to provide teens with the mental health education, support and rescources needed to prevent them from dying by suicide. In June of 2020, the Josh Anderson Foundation officially changed its name to Our Minds Matter to better align the mission and vision of the organization. 

The team at Our Minds Matter is made up of people who are passionate about improving mental health in local schools. Of the four individuals on the program team, all have degrees in psychology or social work. Lauren Anderson, Josh’s older sister, returned to the Washington, D.C. area in 2011 to become the executive director of Our Minds Matter. 

Our Minds Matter has partnered with Fairfax County and Montgomery County School Districts, the two largest in the Washington, D.C. area to help make an impact in schools. Through clubs in high schools around the area, Our Minds Matter is working to change the culture around mental health in schools. After a year that saw many kids isolated away from their peers, programs offered through Our Minds Matter can be life changing. 

Click here to find out all the ways that you can support Our Minds Matter, including resources on mental health education. You can follow Our Minds Matter on social media @ourminds_matter on Twitter, @our.minds.matter on Instagram and @ourmindsmatterorg on Facebook to keep up with all the latest news. 

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