let's work together to
Reduce isolation, anxiety & depression in college students
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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.
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Dan Maxwell, Senior Year, two months before he took his life.
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.
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Students at Penn State University host a DMAX Club meeting.
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DMAX Clubs host a fruit smash to help students bust exam stress.
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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.
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60%-Start/run new club for 1 yr
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40%-Operate ongoing club for 1 yr
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"DMAX helps students feel they are not alone in their struggles and there is an outlet of students for them to talk to."
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I was so lost and lonely until I joined DMAX. DMAX is such an amazing support group who really cares and listens.
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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
DMAX Club at Lehigh University has been approved!
May 22
We are pleased to announce that the DMAX Club at Lehigh University has been approved! This brings our total to six DMAX Clubs at the following Universities: Elon, Penn State, Temple, Drexel Maryland, and Lehigh. We couldn’t have done this without the support of our caring community. These Clubs accomplish our mission to provide trusting environments for students to have honest everyday conversations about mental health so they can connect with each other, and can better understand and help each other.
Thank you for being a gracious friend and supporter of DMAX. Together we light the darkness.
Kris Majors
Project owner