Hello,

For those of you who don’t know me, most people call me Taylor. I graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Rehabilitation and Human Services and have had the opportunity to work in many capacities. My passion has and will always be mental health as many people don’t know that my child began suffering from mental health around the age of 4. As a young mother living in the inner city, I had to not only advocate for my child but also educate those that I encountered, especially those individuals in the school community who weren’t equipped to deal with such illness. With over 15 years of experience in mental health including working with individuals with disabilities, pregnant and parenting adolescents, at risk youth, as well as case management, my passion has always been to help people. In my current profession as a law enforcement officer, my goal still remains the same. After losing one of my best friends/work partner to suicide in 2019, I began several initiatives to raise awareness about mental health in the law enforcement community. One of my most popular initiatives is entitled "Breathe, Stretch, Shake and Mental Health which is a free two hour session that starts off with an open dialogue about mental health followed by a one hour yoga session used to decompress. This session allows for law enforcement officers to come together to discuss mental health which is often overlooked. In a profession in which we took an oath to protect and serve, when is the last time you (PROTECTED) your mental health or done something that purposely (SERVED) you? Additionally I began "Miles 4 Mental Health" which is an initiative to raise awareness for the 132 Americans who die by suicide daily. This initiative is completed in September as this month starts off suicide awareness month. For each day of September, individuals agree to complete as least 1.32 miles a day in order to shine light on suicide. Lastly but not least since 2019, I have volunteered with several organizations as well as taken training in order to educate and advocate for officers dealing with mental health. In 2019 alone, I was diagnosed with PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder, Anxiety and Depression after losing my friend. This journey has not been easy however I continue to credit myself for pushing myself to learn and find new ways to manage and cope. More importantly I have had the chance to travel all over to tell my story and provide officers with an outlet to openly discuss mental health without fear of being judged. Recently I had the opportunity to be trained and certified in Mental Health and First Aid. My current goal is to become a certified instructor and travel full time across the world, educating officers about mental health. Based on my background, experience, willingness to educate and advocate for others as well as my passion for mental health, I am hoping that you will be able to help me reach my goal. Currently according to https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/become-an-instructor/certification-process/, the current cost to become certified ranges from $2200- $3000. I have already completed the application however in order to begin the class, I would need to have the funds at least two weeks in advance. So far the latest class posted will be held in December, as new dates for the New Year have not been provided. I am asking that all of my friends consider donating at least $1 to this cause as no amount is too big or too small. Thank you in advance for helping me get one step closer to reaching my goal.