Dear Valued Donor,

We are a group of students from University of North Texas and we have been brought together to raise money for a charity of our choosing and we have chosen Mental Health America (MHA).

We are writing to you today because mental health is a cause that is deeply personal to us all.

Not long ago, I knew a woman who began to slowly disappear from the world around her. At first, it was small things. She became harder to reach. She pulled away from conversations. She stopped showing up for social occasions. Weeks passed, and it became clear that something was wrong.

She was isolated for long periods of time. She was not eating properly. She seemed emotionally exhausted like she was carrying something too heavy to explain. From the outside, it may have looked like distance, sadness, or silence. But inside, she was struggling with something much deeper.

When she finally opened up, she told me she had been suffering with mental health issues for months. That moment stayed with me.

It made me realize how many people are suffering quietly, hoping someone notices, but not knowing how to ask for help. Mental illness doesn't always look obvious. Sometimes it looks like a missed phone call. A canceled plan. A person who says they are “fine” when they are barely holding on.

Her story could have ended differently. Thankfully, she received help through Mental Health America. But many people do not.

Nearly 20% of American adults experience a diagnosable mental illness in a given year, and more than 28 million adults with mental illnesses do not receive treatment. These are not statistics; these are the people you see and deal with every day. These are our neighbors, coworkers, friends, family, and people sitting silently beside us every day.

That is why we choose to fundraise for Mental Health America (MHA).

Mental Health America (MHA) is a leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health, prevention, early intervention, education, screening, and advocacy. Their work helps people find direction and resources before they reach a breaking point. It gives people information, support, and hope when they may feel completely alone.

Your donation can change a people's lives.

For every $25 donated, MHA can provide 500 people with critical mental health education and recovery resources. That means one donation can reach someone who is scared, confused, isolated, or unsure where to turn next.

Mental health struggles can make people feel invisible. Your gift is an acknowledgement to them that they are not.

Please support and donate today. Your contribution could lead to the reason someone finds help, hope, the strength to keep going and the vision for a new tomorrow.

To learn more about Mental Health America (MHA) resources and the programs they support, please click here.

Mental Health of America website: https://mhanational.org/learn-about-your-mental-health/

Respectfully and gratefully,

University of North Texas Team: Unbreakable Minds