Project Helping
Project Helping falls under the Alliances & Advocacy category: Organizations whose activities focus on influencing public policy within the Mental Health, Crisis Intervention major group area. Includes a variety of activities from public education and influencing public opinion to lobbying national and state legislatures.
I founded Project Helping based on my personal experience with mental wellness. Like many people living with a mental health challenge, no one close to me knew I was struggling. I had a great job. I was successful. It seemed like I had everything – and truly I did. But privately, I was struggling.
Then, something completely unexpected happened. I was invited to volunteer. It happened to be at a point in my life when I was really struggling. I had no clue that experience would not only change my approach to my own mental wellness but also change my life trajectory. Volunteering immediately provided an outlet for me. The more I volunteered, the better I felt. The better I felt, the more I started to realize that volunteering was helping me improve my mental wellness.
This experience inspired me to dig deeper into the wellness benefits of volunteering. I found two things. First, there was a great deal of research that supported the mental wellness benefits of volunteering. This part was no surprise. Second, I found no one had created a way to really leverage these mental health benefits.
So that was the lightbulb moment! I was inspired to share what I had learned through my personal experience. That is where Project Helping started. We built this simple, elegant, and impactful organization to leverage the mental wellness benefits of volunteering. Our goal was to make it incredibly simple to get involved in projects that are hand-selected to be the most impactful, hands-on project possible.
I am incredibly grateful for the amazing support we’ve received along the way. We are a few years in, making an impact and having a blast. But we’re just getting started. Join in, there’s room for everyone!
Financials
Programs
Kynd Schools
The Kynd School program provides the opportunity to improve mental wellness in schools through student volunteerism. Students can volunteer from inside their school or home at any time with Kynd Kits.
Kynd Kits for Work
Research shows that volunteering has both mental and physical health benefits. Each time an individual completes a Kynd Kit, they are not only improving the life of a community member, but they are also improving their own mental health.
Volunteering + Events
Nourish PHX - Phoenix
We believe that no matter the situation, each individual should have hope and dignity when facing the extreme adversity that life hands us. We believe that each piece of clothing, each piece of food, each item received is one-by-one changing the world for good.
The Connected Chef - NYC
Access is more than just providing groceries. Access means one’s ability to obtain healthy groceries, prepare them in a culturally relevant way, and the opportunity to engage in the growing and cultivating of that food. Our community’s connection to the land is our ultimate goal. The nutrient-dense groceries that The Connected Chef distributes comes 80% from local farms and distributors in the NY, NJ, PA area. We believe that reconnecting with where our food comes from is the first step towards food sovereignty for all communities.
Denver Rescue Mission - Denver
The Crossing is Denver Rescue Mission's largest location. It serves 130 New Life Program men and women and provides up to 100 rooms for families that are STAR transitional program participants.
Mama's Kitchen - San Diego
Mama’s Kitchen believes that everyone is entitled to the basic necessity of life – nutritious food. Their services improve the health and well-being of individuals and families vulnerable to malnutrition due to critical illness.