Four nonprofit organizations seek to bring conversations about mental health to the forefront for athletes at every level
NEW YORK (November 14, 2024) – Today four nonprofit organizations supporting mental health advocacy, Hilinski’s Hope Foundation (H3H), founded by Mark and Kym Hilinski to honor the legacy of their son Tyler, Athletes for Hope (AFH), the Kevin Love Fund (KLF) and the Sarah Shulze Foundation (SSF), announced a partnership to host the second annual Athlete Mental Health Week from February 1-9, 2025.
Through a week of collective action and resource sharing, with support from the 135 athletes, organizations, and mental health advocates in the Athlete Mental Health Alliance, AFH, H3H, KLF and SSF will amplify the voices and support the wellbeing of athletes of every sport and level of competition.
“Athletes have an incredible ability to impact and inspire us. When they courageously share their stories & struggles, they help humanize the conversation & remind us that we are all in this together as a team,” said Dr. Mena Mirhom, Chief Wellbeing Officer at Athletes for Hope. “Athlete Mental Health Week will be a unifying moment for the athletic community to address the stigma that still surrounds mental health. By standing together, we’re sending a powerful message: prioritizing mental health is essential both in and beyond sports.”
Athlete Mental Health Week will run February 1-9, with athlete-focused organizations participating in breaking down stigma, offering quality resources, and hosting conversations and events to foster a strong community among all athletes and their greater support systems.
“Hilinski’s Hope is honored to partner with Athletes for Hope, the Kevin Love Fund and the Sarah Shulze Foundation to create Athlete Mental Health Week,” said Kym Hilinski, co-founder of H3H. “Coming off of a successful fifth year of H3H’s Student Athlete Mental Health Week, we see the importance of providing resources to all athletes beyond school campuses. We are very grateful to work alongside three foundations that share the mission for prioritizing athletes’ needs and addressing the challenges they face within the athletic community.”
AFH, H3H, KLF and SSF will provide a virtual toolkit with graphics, statistics, and ideas for activations to all the Athlete Mental Health Week participants. As well as the opportunity to attend free, virtual AMHW panels and information sessions throughout the week. These panels will bring together representatives from each organization to discuss mental health in sports and break the stigma behind athlete mental health.
“We are honored to be part of the second annual Athlete Mental Health Week, joining leaders and organizations that have helped to launch a movement in reducing the stigma around mental health,” said Dr. Ellie Foster, Co-Director of Education at the Kevin Love Fund. “We are excited to lead athletes and coaches in lessons from our free program that will teach skills and tools to help athletes cultivate well-being in and out of their sport.”
“Sarah Shulze Foundation is proud to be partnering with AFH, HH and KLF on AMHW in February,” said Brigitte Shulze, Co-Founder of the Sarah Shulze Foundation. It is our hope that athletes of all ages can take the resources provided during this week to focus on their athletes and coaches mental health and begin to have important conversations with each other during this dedicated week.”
To learn more about Athlete Mental Health Week or to sign up, please visit www.athletesforhope.org/athlete-mental-health-week/.
About Athletes for Hope:
Founded in 2006 by Muhammad Ali, Andre Agassi, Mia Hamm, and nine other elite athletes, Athletes for Hope (AFH) is a national nonprofit that empowers athletes to positively engage with their communities. In 2024, AFH launched the Athlete Leadership Council featuring Stephen Curry, Katie Ledecky, Nathan Chen, and Elena Delle Donne to carry forward the Founders’ legacy. Over the past 18 years, AFH has educated more than 12,000 athletes through its Causeway workshops and connected them with thousands of underserved schools and community organizations. AFH’s core programs promote mental health, physical health, and leadership, positively impacting millions of lives worldwide.
About Hilinski’s Hope:
Hilinski’s Hope is a 5013c non-profit that helps colleges and universities save lives, eliminate stigma, and scale mental wellness programs for student athletes. H3H does this by sharing Tyler’s story, connecting students with mental health resources, and assisting universities to institutionalize best practices. H3H envisions a world where mental health is supported in parity with physical health and equally prioritized by universities as connected to athletic performance. To learn more about H3H please visit www.hilinskishope.org
About The Kevin Love Fund:
When professional basketball player Kevin Love publicly shared his personal story about challenges with mental health after a public panic attack during a game, he had no idea the movement it would create. One by one, fans and other high-profile celebrities began to share their own stories of fear and struggle. Quickly, a national conversation had begun.
In 2018, Love established the Kevin Love Fund (KLF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to inspire people to live their healthiest lives by creating equity between mental and physical health. As an evidence-based organization, KLF focuses on research, education, and narrative change to break the stigma around mental health. To learn more, visit kevinlovefund.org.
About Sarah Shulze Foundation:
The Shulze Family started the Sarah Shulze Foundation after the sudden and tragic loss of Sarah to suicide in April 2022. Sarah, a member of the women’s cross country and track and field teams at University of Wisconsin, was one of seven suicides in eight weeks of college student athletes. The Shulze Family left with more questions than answers on mental health and suicide prevention created the Sarah Shulze Foundation to bring awareness to both of these things as well as student athlete advocacy. Sarah always saw herself as a power for good in her community, teams, school and family. At the SSF, it is our intention to be a power for good just as Sarah always wanted to be.
Media Contact:
DKC News: H3H@dkcnews.com