Fund Chasing the Dawn to Join Mental Health and Faith

Hi, my name is Lauren Sergeant. I'm starting a non-profit organization that I have dreamed of creating for years. I want to connect local churches with the mental health community so that we can understand and pursue hope together. Chasing the Dawn will use in-person trainings and conversation platforms (online and local) as well as other media (like books) to foster conversation between the two communities.

For many years, I have struggled with schizoaffective disorder as well as with Panic Disorder and other various mental health maladies. I have attempted suicide, engaged in self-harm, and spent many hours in the throes of nightmarish psychosis. God has carried me through, by His grace and strength. I have found peace and joy in getting to know my Savior, Jesus, and I believe God has everything to offer when it comes to mental illness. Besides His love, His Word, and a community of Christian brothers and sisters, God has provided me with therapists, psychiatrists, medications, healthy coping mechanisms, and most of all, hope.

Like many people, I have received both support and misguidance from my church community. I see that there is a great need in our churches to better understand chronic mental illness and how it relates to faith in Jesus. I believe many Christians could better minister to those struggling with mental health challenges by using this knowledge. Furthermore, I think we can benefit greatly from the testimonies of those who have struggled against self-harm, feelings of worthlessness, panic attacks, suicidalism, and abuse. If we listen closely, we start to hear God speaking in all these situations.

To benefit both the Church and the mental health community, I seek, by God's grace, to continue and deepen the conversation between the two communities. With my non-profit, Chasing the Dawn, I aim to bring conversation of depression, anxiety, suicide, and psychosis into the walls of the church building, and I seek to bring news of the hope of Christ beyond those walls to those suffering from mental illness.

FURTHER DETAILS: Plans for Chasing the Dawn

1. My first initiative will Chasing the Dawn will be to bring greater awareness about mental illness to my church community and surrounding churches. I am enrolled in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor training through the National Council of Well-Being. I hope to hold trainings to bring deeper understanding of mental health struggles and how to support those with mental health challenges. MHFA focuses on "hope with facts" and hope for recovery. This would be an excellent first step in defining terms so we can all be speaking the same language. $5,000 will cover two Instructor training courses and certifications.

2. I also hope to develop a group-training curriculum to prepare local congregations to better understand and support individuals struggling with mental health in their community. I would like to be able to focus on this work, so I'm asking for financial support to carry me and my family for 2-3 months. $6,000 will provide income for that time to help me devote myself to developing the Chasing the Dawn curriculum.

3. I have written 60% of a non-fiction book about Christian hope in mental illness. I published 3 books (young adult novels) back between 2019 - 2021, so I am familiar with the editing and publishing process. I hope to complete this book and pursue publishing within 12-24 months. Publishing costs vary, but self-publishing usually costs between $2,000 and $5,000. You can read an excerpt of the here.

4. There will be other costs associated with creating and registering as a non-profit organization, including lawyer fees, accounting service fees, filing fees, etc. I am budgeting about $3,000 to $5,000 for the legal process of creating a non-profit.

So to put it all together:

TOTAL $21,000

Any contribution you might make would be a great help and very appreciated! If you can't contribute financially, I'd ask if you could contribute a little of your time to share this page with people in your community who might benefit from or be interested in supporting Chasing the Dawn. I hope to join with communinties beyond Auburn/Opelika area and reach even more churches and people, so connections are always welcome.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any prayers and support you might offer!