let's work together to

Reduce isolation, anxiety & depression in college students

ID:

14991

Kris Majors Kris Majors Project owner

DMAX Foundation

http://www.dmaxfoundation.org/

All projects by this foundation

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Project details
Our milestones
...

Our goal

Caring clubs 4 everyday conversation about mental health so students can understand/help each other

The Challenge

There is a mental health crisis on college campuses

DMAX was founded in 2013 by Lee and Laurie after they lost their 18-year-old son Dan Maxwell to suicide. When Dan was sick, he felt like an alien, believing that no one else could possibly feel the way he did. While he confided in his parents, he isolated himself from his friends. Neither he nor his family felt they could tell others what was going on inside their family. The stigma was just too great.

Had Dan been able to share with his friends how he was really doing, they would have been able to surround him and let him know that they were with him in his fight. Sadly many students, like Dan suffer in silence. Ever-increasing numbers of students are facing mental health issues, and campus mental health resources are overburdened and understaffed. Sometimes students wait weeks or months to be seen by a counselor.

Current extender organizations on campus educate and advocate for mental health, but do not provide a space for students to help one another. Students on college campuses need a trusting environment for students to talk about how they are doing so they can understand and help each other. DMAX Clubs, which are for all students, provide that space for students.

Dan Maxwell, Senior Year, two months before he took his life.

Our Solution

DMAX Clubs: A trusting environment for students

DMAX Foundation is helping to address the crisis on college campuses that exist today where over the past 12 months, 80% of students have felt overwhelmed by all they have to do, 60% have felt overwhelming anxiety, 40% have felt so depressed they can't function and over 12% have seriously contemplated suicide.

To meet this growing concern, DMAX is establishing trusting environments on college campuses for students to have honest everyday conversations about mental health so they can understand and help each other. A DMAX Club is a group of likeminded college students who gather to help each other navigate the ups and downs of their college years. The motto of the club is Friends Helping Friends. DMAX Clubs on college campuses meet regularly to give students a place to have Conversations That Matter.

After a successful pilot at Elon University, DMAX Clubs have started at Penn State, Drexel and Temple Universities, and University of Maryland. In 2018/19, DMAX's goal is to build Clubs at colleges in the Greater Philadelphia area. We are working with interested staff and students at St. Joseph's and LaSalle Universities, Penn State Brandywine, and the University of Delaware. Preliminary interest has also been received from students in other states. We need your support to make this a reality.

Students at Penn State University host a DMAX Club meeting.
DMAX Clubs host a fruit smash to help students bust exam stress.

Your Impact

By donating just $10, you can help students so they don't feel alone

DMAX Clubs on college campuses work! When surveyed, over 80% of DMAX Club members said that the Clubs are trusting environments where they can talk about what's on their mind, and where other members care about and listen to them. Over 70% experienced positive impacts on their academics, feelings about self, and feeling about their future. Over 85% would recommend the Club to a friend. All funds raised help to establish new DMAX Clubs, and support active ones.

Pledge spending

60% -
Start/run new club for 1 yr
40% -
Operate ongoing club for 1 yr

"DMAX helps students feel they are not alone in their struggles and there is an outlet of students for them to talk to."
I was so lost and lonely until I joined DMAX. DMAX is such an amazing support group who really cares and listens.

THE LATEST

A lot can happen in just a few days. Stay up-to-date with our project and progress here.

Completed

Created our project

Oct 26
Collected our first 3 pledges

Oct 26
Funded 25% of goal

Nov 3
Funded 50% of goal

Nov 15
Funded 75% of goal

Nov 27
Funded 100% of goal

Dec 6
Funded 100%+ of goal

Dec 6

What's Next

Campus outreach to start a Club
Student leaders chosen who apply for and gain school approval
Student leaders trained in active listening, emergencies, referrals, helping friends
Club becomes active, hosts meetings and events
Students talk about their own mental health, college stress, anxiety, relationships
Students make friends,and help each other, and no longer feel alone
Students leaders work with DMAX Foundation to improve clubs and their impact
Students realize it is okay to talk about their own mental health with each other
Students report that the Club helps them feel more connected to others
Students report the Club helps them feel better about themselves and their future
Students report the club helps them feel better about school, friends, family
GOAL

Establish and support 8 DMAX Clubs by the end of 2019.
GOAL

Impact 500 students on each college campus
GOAL

Students will feel more connected and less isolated
GOAL

500 students at each campus will feel more at ease talking with each other about their own mental health
GOAL

8 DMAX Clubs will host at least 10 Conversation meetings and activities this year
GOAL

DMAX Club Student Leaders will learn from each other at DMAX Foundation's Annual Leadership Gathering
GOAL

DMAX Club leaders will present to audience of 300 about their own mental health and the important of DMAX Clubs
GOAL

DMAX Club student members will feel better about themselves and their futures
GOAL

Honest everyday conversations about mental health will become more commonplace

Project complete

CaringCrowd

let's work together to

Reduce isolation, anxiety & depression in college students

SEE THE FULL STORY

There is a mental health crisis on college campuses

DMAX Clubs: A trusting environment for students

By donating just $10, you can help students so they don't feel alone

Created our project

Collected our first 3 pledges

Funded 25% of goal

Funded 50% of goal

Funded 75% of goal

Funded 100% of goal

Funded 100%+ of goal

Campus outreach to start a Club

Student leaders chosen who apply for and gain school approval

Student leaders trained in active listening, emergencies, referrals, helping friends

Club becomes active, hosts meetings and events

Students talk about their own mental health, college stress, anxiety, relationships

Students make friends,and help each other, and no longer feel alone

Students leaders work with DMAX Foundation to improve clubs and their impact

Students realize it is okay to talk about their own mental health with each other

Students report that the Club helps them feel more connected to others

Students report the Club helps them feel better about themselves and their future

Students report the club helps them feel better about school, friends, family

Establish and support 8 DMAX Clubs by the end of 2019.

Impact 500 students on each college campus

Students will feel more connected and less isolated

500 students at each campus will feel more at ease talking with each other about their own mental health

8 DMAX Clubs will host at least 10 Conversation meetings and activities this year

DMAX Club Student Leaders will learn from each other at DMAX Foundation's Annual Leadership Gathering

DMAX Club leaders will present to audience of 300 about their own mental health and the important of DMAX Clubs

DMAX Club student members will feel better about themselves and their futures

Honest everyday conversations about mental health will become more commonplace

See how far we've come

Learn more about this project

Better, together.

There is a mental health crisis on college campuses

DMAX Clubs: A trusting environment for students

By donating just $10, you can help students so they don't feel alone

Created our project

Collected our first 3 pledges

Funded 25% of goal

Funded 50% of goal

Funded 75% of goal

Funded 100% of goal

Funded 100%+ of goal

Campus outreach to start a Club

Student leaders chosen who apply for and gain school approval

Student leaders trained in active listening, emergencies, referrals, helping friends

Club becomes active, hosts meetings and events

Students talk about their own mental health, college stress, anxiety, relationships

Students make friends,and help each other, and no longer feel alone

Students leaders work with DMAX Foundation to improve clubs and their impact

Students realize it is okay to talk about their own mental health with each other

Students report that the Club helps them feel more connected to others

Students report the Club helps them feel better about themselves and their future

Students report the club helps them feel better about school, friends, family

Establish and support 8 DMAX Clubs by the end of 2019.

Impact 500 students on each college campus

Students will feel more connected and less isolated

500 students at each campus will feel more at ease talking with each other about their own mental health

8 DMAX Clubs will host at least 10 Conversation meetings and activities this year

DMAX Club Student Leaders will learn from each other at DMAX Foundation's Annual Leadership Gathering

DMAX Club leaders will present to audience of 300 about their own mental health and the important of DMAX Clubs

DMAX Club student members will feel better about themselves and their futures

Honest everyday conversations about mental health will become more commonplace

See how far we've come

Learn more about this project