Walking for Wellness - Yours, Mine, & Schools!

Walking for Wellness – Yours, Mine, & Schools

The Crisis We Face

Loneliness, isolation, and mental health challenges are epidemic, especially among youth. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for 10–34-year-olds, and therapy remains inaccessible for many. Schools face overwhelming student-to-counselor ratios, leaving emotional health needs unmet.

We need scalable, preventative solutions for emotional well-being. Uchi, a social tool I created, has helped improve student engagement and behavior in schools. It strengthens relationships, addresses depression, bullying, addiction, and suicide, and enhances school culture, health, and behaviors.

However, in helping others and investing my own resources, my own wellness has suffered. Over the last eight years, I’ve taken only two vacations, leading to burnout and exhaustion. It's time for a reset.

Urgency for Change – Act Now

We have three months to raise the ultimate goal of $15,000 to bring Uchi to schools in desperate need of emotional health support. Your donations will make a real, immediate impact.

Why the Appalachian Trail?

In 2025, with your support, I plan to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) to promote balanced wellness in schools, communities, and personally. As a 26-year backpacker and 23-year injury-free Ironman Triathlete, I want to challenge stereotypes about aging and fitness while advocating for balanced well-being.

I’ve always said, “the more extreme the behavior, the deeper the pain” and thru-hiking the AT is pretty extreme. I think this is what I need to “reset”, reconnect, and refocus my health, wellness, and work.

Walking for Wellness – Yours, Mine, & Schools

This journey isn’t just for me; it’s for all of us. Wellness is a daily practice, not a quick fix. Like the 5 million steps on the AT, nurturing relationships and emotional health takes consistent effort.

Through this campaign, I’m asking for your help to:

Your Impact – Tiered Rewards

For every $2,500 raised, I’ll donate a 1-year Uchi subscription to a school.

School-Level Donations (UchiEducation) – Consider a group effort collection:

Subscriptions can begin anytime after the campaign goal is reached. I’ll work with you and your school personally to implement Uchi which typically is possible within a few days.

Personal-Level Donations (UchiTribe):

An uchiTribe allows you to customize Uchi and invite small, private groups of people to engage in guided conversations – family, friends, colleagues, groups, etc. (Learn about uchiTribes )

Every donation gets a “thank you” in my daily AT vlog (YouTube: @KevinRStrauss).

Here’s how your donation makes a direct difference in schools:

If we reach our ultimate goal of $15,000—supported by, for example, 6 x $2,500 donations—we can provide the Uchi tool to 12 schools and impact up to 9,000 students, along with teachers and families, for a full year!

Join the Wellness Movement

This campaign is more than raising funds—it’s about lasting change in emotional health. With just three months to reach our goal, your support is essential. Follow my journey through daily vlogs, and let’s prioritize wellness together.

Support the Mission – What If I Don’t Finish?

If I don’t complete the hike, your support will still provide mental & emotional health resources to schools. I’ll donate two 1-year Uchi school subscriptions for every month (of the planned 5 months) I don’t hike.

Why Emotional Health Matters

Emotional health is a key to stronger relationships and better behavior. Uchi is a simple, scalable tool trusted by schools to seamlessly integrate emotional health into classrooms, all while being led by teachers and counselors.

Thank you for supporting:

Walking for Wellness – Yours, Mine, & Schools.

Peace. Love. Connect.

Kevin Strauss, M.E.

Innovator and Emotional Health & Wellness Expert, CEO of Uchi, Endurance Athlete, and Backpacker

Kevin R Strauss - WalkforWellness | Uchi Connection Website