Tragic Loss of 16-year-old Shreyas Kelkar in Cupertino, California. The bold newspaper headline sent shockwaves through my city: a teenager had committed suicide in my neighboring school, and everybody mourned his death despite not knowing him personally. It was the first time I understood the intrinsic bond of humans: grief is a shared emotion, and tragedy unites communities to initiate change. I began to share awareness on social media by starting an Instagram account and sharing educational posts on different mental illnesses, common signs and symptoms, and the importance of prioritizing mental health. In 2022, when I nearly lost my brother to depression after he struggled to receive appropriate therapy due to financial difficulties, I was urged to take further action. I researched online for ways to help youth facing mental health crises and discovered that every year, more than 700,000 people die due to suicide, and it is also the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. After speaking with teens from schools without adequate mental health resources, I founded the nonprofit Mind4Youth to educate underrepresented youth to help them understand mental health and provide direct services and resources to youth who could not afford it. Our specific mission was to dismantle the stigma around mental health and increase accessible resources through our HeartCare, ArtCare, and Volunteering Program. Our global team of 10,000 volunteers provides 1,250 mental health kits with items such as coloring books, slimes, bath bombs, and more to promote kindness and inclusivity in California. I contacted 70 underfunded schools, children’s hospitals, and marginalized communities to distribute these kits to reach young people who did not have access to counseling services. I also secured a partnership with Better Help, the largest online counseling platform, to provide a free therapy voucher in every HeartCare kit. With 25+ partnerships with organizations like Better Help, the United Nations, and Kendra Scott Foundation and $200,000 raised, we have been able to provide 150 teens with free therapy to ensure socioeconomic status does not serve as a financial barrier to receiving help. Each young person I am able to help brings me purpose as I am reminded of my brother’s story. After hearing from a participant in our volunteering program, it was heartwarming to discover that the final project he completed, where he created artwork to convey his battle with mental health in the past, helped him perceive his struggle as not something to hide but speak about to encourage other youth that mental health is not something to be embarrassed about. Throughout my journey with Mind4Youth, I discovered that many other youth shared my passion for mental health advocacy but did not know how to get involved. From hearing about the tragic death of Shreyas Kelkar to my brother, I have been fortunate enough to connect with inspirational young people whose stories push me to continue improving mental health. Today, I have taken up other avenues to expand my impact in the mental health field, like researching and writing an eBook, “A Guide to Teen Mental Health,” to working with former California senator Jim Beall and Harvard Professor Adaner Usmani to address the disproportionate amount of resources for underrepresented youth in juvenile correctional facilities. Mind4Youth began my journey in driving system change and has shaped my global perspective on bridging the gaps in mental health support for youth. While it was a tragedy that began my work with Mind4Youth, I aim to empower others to aid individuals struggling with mental health, so it is not grief that now initiates change, but love.

Tragic Loss of 16-year-old Shreyas Kelkar in Cupertino, California. The bold newspaper headline sent shockwaves through my city: a teenager had committed suicide in my neighboring school, and everybody mourned his death despite not knowing him personally. It was the first time I understood the intrinsic bond of humans: grief is a shared emotion, and tragedy unites communities to initiate change. I began to share awareness on social media by starting an Instagram account and sharing educational posts on different mental illnesses, common signs and symptoms, and the importance of prioritizing mental health. In 2022, when I nearly lost my brother to depression after he struggled to receive appropriate therapy due to financial difficulties, I was urged to take further action. I researched online for ways to help youth facing mental health crises and discovered that every year, more than 700,000 people die due to suicide, and it is also the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. After speaking with teens from schools without adequate mental health resources, I founded the nonprofit Mind4Youth to educate underrepresented youth to help them understand mental health and provide direct services and resources to youth who could not afford it. Our specific mission was to dismantle the stigma around mental health and increase accessible resources through our HeartCare, ArtCare, and Volunteering Program. Our global team of 11,100 volunteers provides 1,250 mental health kits with items such as coloring books, slimes, bath bombs, and more to promote kindness and inclusivity in California. I contacted 70 underfunded schools, children’s hospitals, and marginalized communities to distribute these kits to reach young people who did not have access to counseling services. I also secured a partnership with Better Help, the largest online counseling platform, to provide a free therapy voucher in every HeartCare kit. With 25+ partnerships with organizations like Better Help, the United Nations, and Kendra Scott Foundation and $200,000 raised, we have been able to provide 150 teens with free therapy to ensure socioeconomic status does not serve as a financial barrier to receiving help. Aside from HeartCare kits, Mind4Youth focuses on the educational aspect of mental health to give youth a comprehensive understanding of their mental health. Over the course of 4 months, I developed an online mental health curriculum that covers how to manage stress and anxiety as well as mental illnesses and disorders. It also gives participants the chance to take action in their own community by completing a final project and using what they learned in the curriculum to generate long-term impact. Over 50 final projects were completed by youth in 12 countries. Additionally, more than 60,000 volunteer hours have been completed by youth volunteers and program participants. Each young person we help brings me purpose as I am reminded of my brother’s story. After hearing from a participant in our volunteering program, it was heartwarming to discover that the final project he completed, where he created artwork to convey his battle with mental health in the past, helped him perceive his struggle as not something to hide but speak about to encourage other youth that mental health is not something to be embarrassed about. Throughout my journey with Mind4Youth, I discovered that many other youth shared my passion for mental health advocacy but did not know how to get involved. With this in mind, I created a chapter program to uplift other young leaders and bring Mind4Youth’s mission to their local communities. So far, 25 chapters have been created in states like Florida and New Jersey, and I have worked one-on-one with chapter leaders to form teams, host events, and organize fundraisers. For instance, the Mind4Youth Fremont chapter held a webinar with psychology professors and students to discuss managing academic pressure, and the Mind4Youth Meadowlake Chapter in North Carolina held a card-making event where 115 youth came together to create 250 cards. From hearing about the tragic death of Shreyas Kelkar to my brother, I have been fortunate enough to connect with inspirational young people whose stories push me to continue improving mental health. Today, I have taken up other avenues to expand my impact in the mental health field, like researching and writing an eBook, “A Guide to Teen Mental Health,” to working with former California senator Jim Beall to address the disproportionate amount of resources for underrepresented youth in juvenile correctional facilities. Mind4Youth began my journey in driving system change and has shaped my global perspective on bridging the gaps in mental health support for youth. While it was a tragedy that began my work with Mind4Youth, I aim to empower others to aid individuals struggling with mental health, so it is not grief that now initiates change, but love.

Tragic Loss of 16-year-old Shreyas Kelkar in Cupertino, California. The bold newspaper headline sent shockwaves through my city: a teenager had committed suicide in my neighboring school, and everybody mourned his death despite not knowing him personally. It was the first time I understood the intrinsic bond of humans: grief is a shared emotion, and tragedy unites communities to initiate change. I began to share awareness on social media by starting an Instagram account and sharing educational posts on mental illnesses, common signs, and the importance of prioritizing mental health. In 2022, when I nearly lost my brother to depression after he struggled to receive appropriate therapy due to financial difficulties, I was urged to take further action. After speaking with teens from schools without adequate mental health resources, I founded the nonprofit Mind4Youth to educate underrepresented youth on mental health and provide direct services and resources to those who could not afford it. Our mission was to dismantle the stigma around mental health and increase accessible resources through our HeartCare, ArtCare, and Volunteering Programs. Our global team of 10,000 volunteers provides 1,250 mental health kits with items like coloring books, slimes, bath bombs, and more to promote kindness and inclusivity in California. I contacted 70 underfunded schools, children’s hospitals, and marginalized communities to distribute these kits to reach young people without counseling services. I also secured a partnership with Better Help, the largest online counseling platform, to provide a free therapy voucher in every HeartCare kit. With 25+ partnerships and $200,000 raised, we have provided 150 teens with free therapy to ensure socioeconomic status does not serve as a barrier to receiving help. Aside from HeartCare kits, Mind4Youth focuses on the educational aspect of mental health to give youth a comprehensive understanding. Over 4 months, I developed an online curriculum that covers managing stress, anxiety, mental illnesses, and disorders. It also allows participants to take action in their community by completing a final project and using what they learned to generate long-term impact. Over 50 final projects were completed by youth in 12 countries. Additionally, more than 60,000 volunteer hours have been completed by youth volunteers and program participants. Each young person we help brings me purpose as I am reminded of my brother’s story. Throughout my journey with Mind4Youth, I discovered that many youth shared my passion for mental health advocacy. I created a chapter program to uplift other young leaders and bring Mind4Youth’s mission to their local communities, leading to the start of 25 chapters in states like Florida and New Jersey. From hearing about Shreyas Kelkar’s tragic death to my brother, I have connected with inspirational young people whose stories push me to continue improving mental health. Today, I have taken up other avenues to expand my impact in the mental health field, like researching and writing an eBook, “A Guide to Teen Mental Health,” and working with former California senator Jim Beall to address the disproportionate resources for underrepresented youth in juvenile correctional facilities. Mind4Youth began my journey in driving system change and has shaped my global perspective on bridging the gaps in mental health support for youth. While it was a tragedy that began my work with Mind4Youth, I aim to empower others to aid individuals struggling with mental health, so it is not grief that now initiates change, but love.