Discover Their Latest Insights
How Can Schools Become “Sources of Strength” for Youth Mental Health?
Building a Culture of Care in Your School Community Every student deserves good mental health, but achieving this requires more than just a single lesson—it requires a...
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Make-a-Will Month: A Legacy of Hope for Youth Mental Health
August is Make-a-Will Month—a time dedicated to the powerful act of planning for the future. While it may not be a topic we discuss every day, creating a will is...
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Make A Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA to Erika’s Lighthouse
If you are an IRA owner age 70½ or over, you may be eligible to make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA. A QCD is a tax-free distribution from...
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Program Evaluation Surveys and Their Impact
What program evaluations are included in Erika’s Lighthouse Resources?Erika’s Lighthouse classroom education programs each come with the option to utilize...
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A Framework for Culture Change in School Communities
Erika’s Lighthouse believes every school community can be inclusive, empathetic and supportive around mental health. Our framework for promoting inclusive school...
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How to Start a Facebook Fundraiser for Erika’s Lighthouse
Erika’s Lighthouse is a nonprofit organization that helps schools provide their students with the skills needed to talk to each other, to their parents,...
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Enlighten Learning Management System
Erika’s Lighthouse Enlighten Learning Management System is preparing school communities around mental health. We offer a variety of course selections and hope that...
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Memorials
Erika’s Lighthouse was founded following the loss of a 14-year-old girl who lost her life to her depression. When Erika died, her family and friends felt that the...
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Self-Referral Cards
One of the important aspects of a tier 1 program according to Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) is that it connects students to support and offers a referral...
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Be a Professional Community Ambassador
Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression is a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness about youth mental health in elementary...
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Mental Health Literacy in Schools
Erika’s Lighthouse is a beacon of hope for schools seeking to create inclusive and supportive environments where mental health matters. Mental health literacy is...
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Spreading Kindness with Erika’s Lighthouse Compliment Poster
Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit organization that provides mental health education and resources to schools and communities. One of their many resources is the...
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Empowerment Clubs
What programs or resources are included in Erika’s Lighthouse Empowerment Clubs? We offer opportunities for students to take on leadership roles in their schools...
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Family Conversations: “Let’s Talk” During the Holiday Season
The holidays can be a busy and sometimes stressful time for families, especially for children and teens. There are often long days and lots of changes in routine which...
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The Impact – End of Year Giving
In February 2023, the CDC reported that an alarming 22% of young people said they had seriously considered suicide and stated, “The data make[s] it clear that...
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Improve Your Family’s Mental Health & Prepare for Next Year!
As we approach the end of another year, it’s a good time to start thinking about how you and your family can improve your mental health in the year ahead....
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Holiday Market Supporting Mental Health
Join us in support of Erika’s Lighthouse this holiday season! Adolescent depression lives in the shadows. Young people facing it feel isolated and dangerously...
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State Expansion Through Community Ambassadors
“I am extremely satisfied with Erika’s Lighthouse Program. As a new school social worker, I find their provision of numerous free resources to be invaluable,...
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Depression Education is Suicide Prevetion
Depression is a common mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including sadness, hopelessness, fatigue,...
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Support Erika’s Lighthouse on Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that happens on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It’s a chance to celebrate generosity and give back to the causes that...
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Staff Mental Wellness Highlight
Erika’s Lighthouse believes that practicing good mental health is just as important for educators and administrators as it is for students. Schools can create a...
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Erika’s Lighthouse Legacy Society
Erika’s Lighthouse is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and...
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How Using New RECHARGE Program Can Support Student Learning
In today’s fast-paced world, it can be difficult for students to focus for long periods of time. They are constantly bombarded with stimuli, both in and out of the...
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Empowerment Club Sponsorship
One in five teens experiences a mental health disorder each year. That’s a lot of young people who are struggling in silence. Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit...
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Classroom Education’s Impact
We offer a suite of three educational programs designed to allow educators to empower their students with an introduction to mental health, depression literacy,...
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NEW Student Fundraising Center
Erika’s Lighthouse has created a one-stop shop for student fundraising! Erika’s Lighthouse is a nonprofit with the mission to make sure no young person feels alone in...
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The Benefits of Donating Stock to Erika’s Lighthouse
By donating stock to Erika’s Lighthouse, you have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on adolescent depression and ensure school communities have the...
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The Four Pillars
Erika’s Lighthouse focuses on equipping school communities with the mental health education needed through four main pillars. Classroom Education, Family...
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Portal Sponsorship: The Opportunity to Empower School Professionals Around the Country
You have the opportunity to empower school professionals around the country by sponsoring Erika’s Lighthouse Resource Portal. By focusing on a specific state or...
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Suicide Prevention Week: GIVE VOICE Campaign
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24 in the US. Nearly 20% of high school students in the US report having serious thoughts...
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Giving Crypto to Erika’s Lighthouse
Cryptocurrency is one of the fastest-growing types of donations to charities. Over 300 million people hold cryptocurrency, and in 2022, over $125 million was donated...
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Erika’s Lighthouse: Family Engagement Conversations
Are you looking for free, turn-key family engagement resources around mental health? Access Programs The resources we offer include two youth...
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Minority Mental Health: The Importance of Culturally-Sensitive Care and How Your Donation Can Help
In 2020, suicide was the third leading cause of death for black and African American youth ages 15-19. Mental health disparities among minority groups are a severe...
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The Benefits of Using a Donor Advised Fund to Support Mental Health
Erika’s Lighthouse is a nonprofit organization that provides free, donor-funded depression education programming to teens and educators. Our mission is to raise...
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The Family Conversation Journal: A Tool for Building Stronger Relationships
There are many different ways to communicate, and not everyone prefers or feels the most comfortable doing it verbally. It’s important to be aware of different...
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Support the Beacon of Hope Golf Classic and Help Fight Adolescent Depression
Depression is a serious mental illness that affects millions of people around the world, including teens. According to the National Institute of Mental Health,...
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Key Club Raises Funds to Support Mental Health
The Wilmot Union High School Key Club raised funds to support mental health education by hosting a Snowball Dance at their school. Hello! My name is Katherine...
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Support Erika’s Lighthouse in Kind and Volunteering
At Erika’s Lighthouse, we believe in creating a more equitable and inclusive world around mental health. We want every student in every school to have access to mental...
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Parenthood
A Heart on the Outside of the Body That is what it’s like having children. That’s what we’re told and we accept that as how it is. However, I am sitting here...
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Mental Health Awareness Month: Take the Positivity Pledge
Access Programs The end of the school year is right around the corner and it brings an exciting time for change and new chapters in students’ lives. Erika’s...
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Promoting Student Thriving by Connecting SEL and Mental Health
Access Programs Where It Begins For many districts, the path they follow into a more systemic approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) begins with...
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Why Educators Must Focus on Student Mental Health
Access Programs Erika’s Lighthouse at SHAPE Florida I heard an amazing presentation on Erika’s Lighthouse curriculum at a conference hosted by SHAPE...
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Schools Can Address Mental Health Smarter, Better, Easier
Access Portal Another study. Another confirmation that our youth are struggling with their or their peers’ mental health. In fact, student mental health...
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Skills-Based Health Education Beyond the Classroom
Holly Alperin, Ed.M, MCHES, has worked for over 20 years in public health and education. Currently she works at the University of New Hampshire preparing...
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Erika’s Lighthouse Update on Adolescent Mental Health: February 2023
Access Programs Erika’s Lighthouse is dedicated to adolescent mental health and our mission of ensuring no young person ever feels alone in their...
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The Importance of Reaching Out to a Trusted Adult
Access Programs Trigger Warning: Suicidal Ideation My Story I have always been someone who is afraid of reaching out for help. However, that had to...
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Utilizing Tier 1 Universal Supports and Practices to Provide Mental Health Education to All
Nancy Watson (LCSW, CADC) is a psychotherapist at Lake Forest Wellness (Lake Forest, Illinois) specializing in working with children, adolescents, and...
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The Power of Programs with Impact Part IV:School Policy & Staff Development
Does the school policy at your school account for students who may be experiencing mental health challenges? Do staff know how to be trusted adults? How do your...
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SEL and Mental Health Education Build on One Another
Access Programs Serving Students with SEL During a recent conversation with a colleague who is in charge of social-emotional learning (SEL) for a large...
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Educators Speak Out for Erika’s Lighthouse
New Professional Community Ambassadors program is up and running! Our newly launched Professional Community Ambassadors (PCA) program brings together volunteers...
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How Culture Affects Mental Health
Patricia Voloschin-Weiner, LCPC has been working as a therapist with children, adults, and couples for the past 30 years and has addressed a variety of...
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The Power of Programs with ImpactPart III: Family Engagement
Do the family members of your district have the tools and knowledge they need to recognize signs of depression? Are they trusted adults who can address mental...
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The Power of Programs with ImpactPart II: Teen Empowerment
When you look at the teens at your school, do you see empowered students who know they can build the school culture they aspire to thrive in? When given the right...
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Erika’s Lighthouse Program Report 2021-22
How many students did Erika’s Lighthouse reach this past school year? Erika’s Lighthouse is reaching more students than ever with our evidence-informed programs and...
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SADD and Erika’s Lighthouse Partnership
STUDENTS AGAINST DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS (SADD) TO PROVIDE ITS CLUB MEMBERS WITH RESOURCES FROM ERIKA’S LIGHTHOUSE TO DEFEAT THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH...
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Reframing the Narrative – Empowering Youth
Access Programs We have heard so much about everyone’s declining mental health – particularly our young people. In our effort to bring attention to this...
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Mental Health Education: The Power of Programs with Impact
Erika’s Lighthouse Core Value Series Part 1: Classroom Education Do you think students would benefit from depression and mental health education in your...
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A Partnership Between Erika’s Lighthouse and School Day
Chicago, Ill., September 6, 2022 – Erika’s Lighthouse and School Day announced a partnership today to collaborate and cross-promote their resources to promote a...
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Lady Gaga’s Foundation Supports Erika’s Lighthouse
Before Lady Gaga took the stage for her long-awaited concert at Wrigley Field, the star’s foundation showed support for a Chicago-area nonprofit. NBC 5’s Jen...
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CDC Report on Youth Mental Health: The Erika’s Lighthouse Perspective
Access Programs In April, the CDC published a report on youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistics are grim. But the survey also...
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The Erika’s Lighthouse Perspective to the CDC’s Recent Youth Survey on School Connectedness and Mental Health
An examination of the mental health impact of COVID-19 and how connectedness to school, family, friends and community groups impact mental health outcomes. Please...
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10 Advantages of Erika’s Lighthouse
Our programs can work in any school community. 1. Wraparound ProgrammingWe don’t just offer a standalone curriculum, we believe in impacting the whole school by...
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