ReachOut Blog

Announcing… the Launch of ReachOut Forums!

by Meredith Community

Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re excited to announce the launch of moderated forums on ReachOut.com! Driven by youth and guided by 10 peer facilitators, the forums are a safe, anonymous peer-to-peer community created to help teens and young adults like you get through tough times.

The official launch date is Monday, May 21, but you can check out the safe and supportive online discussions happening there right now. Register today and chime in on some of the mental health topics currently trending (grief, partying, breakups, etc.), or start a new thread of your own.

And be sure to watch that space.  We will soon be offering an "Ask the Expert" feature where teens and young adults can ask mental health professionals questions anonymously in the forums, and responses will be shared for the benefit of all ReachOut users. Look for details coming soon!

In the meantime, take a look at the Community Guidelines, introduce yourself and share whatever is on your mind. We hope you enjoy your time in the RO community, and we’re looking forward to the conversations ahead.

Support for the ReachOut Forums Provided By: The Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Consortium is a component of The Strategies for a Supportive program, funded by the voter-approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63). It is one of several Prevention and Early Intervention Initiatives implemented by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. CalMHSA operates services and education programs on a statewide, regional and local basis. For more information, visit www.calmhsa.org.

The Value of Volunteering

by Meredith Community, Volunteering

Today's guest post is from young filmmaker Matt Palmer about the personal benefits of volunteering and his documentary on the topic. Don't forget to read his bio at the end of the post!

High school students are unquestionably busy people. A typical high schooler has to balance homework, studying, socializing, and extracurricular activities such as sports, music, or art. There is only so much time in a day! So when I was told that my high school would require me to do community service on top of all of these other things, I wasn’t sure it was even possible. Yet today, almost a year after graduating from college, I am grateful that my school made me do volunteer work. In fact, I am now making a documentary film about the amazing place where I began volunteering six years ago while in high school. It’s safe to say that doing service changed my life.

Going into my senior year of high school, I chose to complete the entirety of my service requirement in one week. This was not unusual, as many students volunteered at week-long summer camps to do the required 50 hours of service during the summer. So, along with several of my friends, I went to Camp ReCreation, a summer camp that serves individuals with developmental disabilities. These disabilities, I was informed at the camp’s training session, ranged from Downs Syndrome to autism to cerebral palsy. I was also told that the camp would be one of the most fun weeks I would ever have. Many students who volunteered there returned year after year, and when I arrived at the camp that summer I saw many alumni of my high school. Despite this, I was very nervous—what if I couldn’t take care of someone for a whole week? What if the person I was paired with didn’t have fun?

After two days at camp my fears evaporated. It was almost impossible to not have fun with these individuals. They were open, loving, and incredibly insightful. They were unbelievable people, and that week made me see life in a whole new way. I have returned to Camp Rec for the past six years and after graduating from film school decided to make a documentary about the camp and the population it serves. I cannot imagine my life without camp and without the incredible people that go to it. Six years ago, I was a high school student reluctant to spend time serving others. Now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

You can learn more about the documentary I am working on, called Friends of Mine, at www.elsewherepictures.com or by liking the Friends of Mine Facebook page. Also, you can watch the documentary’s promotional video here. Please spread the word about this project! Volunteering is also a great way to gain experience if you're looking for a job! Check out our fact sheet on this for more.

Have you had a volunteer/service experience that changed your life? Share it in the comments!

About Matthew Palmer
Matthew recently completed his final year as an undergraduate student at New York University where he earned a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Film and Television Production. He graduated Cum Laude. He has written, produced, and directed several short films, short documentaries, and music videos. He has also worked on a significant amount of projects as a production assistant, script supervisor, or assistant director. In addition, Matthew has been a volunteer counselor at Camp ReCreation for the last five years.

Homeless For The Holidays: The Truth About Youth Homelessness

by RO_Admin Community, Recession, Unemployment

Today's guest post comes from Youth Council Member Jessica Moyeda who recently attended the National Runaway and Homeless Youth Conference in Portland, OR, to help promote ReachOut.

November is best known as the month during which we celebrate Thanksgiving.  The special time of year when we gather around the dinner table to gorge ourselves on turkey, stuffing (or dressing depending on your geography), and heaps of apple pie.  It is also meant to be a time in which we give thanks for the blessings that we are fortunate to have.  Can you think of some things you’re grateful for?  Is it your family? Your boyfriend/girlfriend? That new cell phone? 

Did any of you think of your home?  In truth, a lot of us take having a warm bed, a fridge full of food, and a roof over our heads for granted.

Coincidentally, November is also known for being National Homeless Youth Awareness Month - and last week was the National Runaway and Homeless Youth Conference in Portland, OR.  I had the privilege to attend this gathering of professionals and organizations, who are all dedicated to providing effective services to the country’s runaway and homeless youth.  I learned of the challenges as well as the myths that surround the increasing number of teens and young adults that are without a home, and am going to share some of my newfound knowledge below.

In all honesty before this conference my knowledge of homelessness was extremely limited; my experiences with this population were restricted to requests for spare change, serving a few Thanksgiving dinners, and handing out power bars near freeways.  Yet between visiting downtown Portland’s youth shelters, talking with multiple advocates, and hearing former homeless youth speak to this issue – it really hit me that a lot of homeless youth had never been given a proper chance to succeed or pursue their dreams.  Many, if not all, teens and young adults want to make a change in their lives, but most of the time they cannot do it alone.  They need support, opportunity, and hope – and shelters are instrumental in achieving this change.

The truth is that youth homelessness is an issue that doesn’t fit neatly into a pretty box.  Each experience, each story, each challenge is unique and deserves our attention.  Here are some of the facts that I took away from the conference:

• The National Alliance to End Homelessness, and even the federal government, estimates that there are 50,000 U.S. teens that “sleep on the streets” on any given day, but both organizations acknowledge that there may be as many as 2 million youth that are homeless throughout the year.


• Homelessness can take many forms: whether it be “couch surfing” with friends, hitching rides to new cities, living in public parks or spending nights at different shelters.


• The word runaway conjures images of a teenager rebelling against their overprotective parents or a lazy unwilling to work, but the reality is that there are often more serious reasons for a teen to leave their home. In fact, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found that 46% of homeless youth escaped a home where they suffered physical abuse, while 17% left because of sexual abuse. Many homeless youth leave their residence after years of physical and sexual abuse, strained relationships, addiction of a family member, and parental neglect. Disruptive family conditions are the principal reason that young people leave home.


• The economy also has a hand in youth homelessness: families suffering from the financial crisis may experience unemployment, low wages, a lack of medical care, and ultimately an absence of affordable housing. When a family becomes homeless, children and teens are in a precarious living situation, and sometimes are even separated from their families.


• Additionally, 20 to 40 percent of homeless youth self-identify as LGBTQ – which is relatively high when you consider that about only 10 percent of the youth population are LGBTQ. This trend is often the result of abandonment or family conflict.


• Homeless youth are at a significantly higher risk for anxiety, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and suicide. This is largely due to an increased exposure to violence while living by themselves.

You may be asking yourself what can I do to help?

Ways To Help

Where can I learn more?

Homeless Research Institute

Homelessness Resource Center

How can we end youth homelessness?

Solutions & Best Practices

Community Solutions for Homelessness

Youth homelessness – like all homelessness – is a problem that can be solved. 

Do you have any experiences with youth homelessness?

Reaching Out On Tumblr

by RO_Admin Community, Online Networks

Today's blog post is from Zach, one of our Reach Out Council members, who also inspired us to create a ReachOut Tumblr. Read more about Zach at the end of his post!

The idea of creating a Tumblr for ReachOut first came to me two months ago at the Youth Council summit in San Francisco. While attempting to figure out a way to help this organization individually, I realized that one of my talents is the internet.

To some, using the word internet as a verb may seem strange, to others, it is as commonplace as using the word texting. Either way you see it, to me using the internet is a skill that I hold very dear. So needless to say when I was told to work on starting our Tumblr, I was excited to finally be able to apply my abilities to help a place which I feel very close to.

Fast forward two months, and here I am, running half of the posts you can find on our Tumblr. I never once thought that I would be able to take an idea like this and run with it the way I have. But that’s part of what makes ReachOut so good at what it does, they allow us as Youth Council members to use our ideas to carry out their mission.

The opportunity I have been given to help run the page has been incredible. If I’m having a bad day all I have to do is look at our page, and the quotations and videos and inspirational stories provide the best pick-me-up I could ask for. So when I say that following us will be beneficial to you, I’m not just saying that so I will be able to boast about having more followers or reblogs or likes. I’m saying it because all of you, from those who feel sad occasionally to those who struggle with severe depression and other mental health issues every single day, our Tumblr is a place of support and comfort, where you can go whenever you need to be reminded that you are not alone. On top of that, Tumblr is a community itself. If you reach out to people on this site, they will reach back. So, as a friend, I urge you to check it out.

If you have a Tumblr, give us a follow using the link below. If you don’t, it’s easy to pick up and even easier to create, so hop on and give us a follow, as well.

ReachOut’s Tumblr: http://reachoutusa.tumblr.com/

About Zach
Hey everyone! My name is Zach, and I’m originally from Wichita Falls, Texas but I’ve lived in Plano, Texas for the past 11 years. I’m currently a second year Economics major at The University of Texas at Austin. I love sports, more specifically basketball, and spend most of my spare time watching or playing it. I also love music, of all genres, and I don’t go anywhere without my ipod. When I was 7 years old I was diagnosed with depression, and I’ve been dealing with it ever since. But I’ve learned so much from it, and now I want to use my experiences to help others who are struggling. I’m very laid back, and I don’t like to dwell on the little things. I like to have a lot of friends, and I’m open and honest with people I trust. Hopefully I can contribute to making this great organization even better!

Bassnectar: $/Basshead Competition

by Meredith Community, Mental Health

If you like music with massive amounts of bass, crazy sound effects and hyper-adrenalized lyrics--you may already know about Bassnectar, an electronic music producer/DJ who performs sold out shows all over the country (we got to see Lorin from Bassnectar at Bonnaroo!). If you dig ReachOut, you should definately get to know him! Get over to Bassnectar's site to vote for ReachOut.com to win up to $25,000 dollars from ticket proceeds in his $/BH (Dollar per Basshead) competition. To vote, click on the right arrows on the home page until you get to the voting page (page 4). This is a HUGE opportunity for ReachOut.com so, if you've ever thought about doing something to help---VOTE NOW!

What is $/BH?

"For every person who attends a Bassnectar event or show, we donate $1 to nonprofit organizations in an effort to encourage giving, and to promote a strong, informed, empowered community. This concept is meaningful to us because it gives us an opportunity to come together and truly make a positive difference in the world. Here is how it works:

1. We collect and donate one dollar for every ticket sold, and send it to Air Traffic Control, a non profit organization that helps artists optimize their opportunities for social contribution.

2. Every time the Bass Bank reaches a minimum of $50,000 we will present 3 different organizations that are doing amazing things to empower education, health, or community. You can learn about the organizations, what they do and how, and see how you can get involved if you are interested. This is not only a great way to give back, but it is also an awesome way to meet new friends, and to explore life OUTSIDE of the party.

3. We hold a vote at bassnectar.net to place the organizations in order of preference.

4. The organization with the most votes will receive $25,000, the runner up will receive $15,000 and the third finalist will receive $10,000." via bassnectar.net

Justin Bieber has a charity too. Why should I care about $/BH?

Firstly, $ per Basshead is driven by fans. The initiative isn't a charity per say: it's a way to get a community of like-minded people to support worthwhile work -- as it seems important to them. It also lets bassnectar choose new organizations that are making impact in new ways, every year.

Lorin from Bassnectar got in contact with ReachOut.com and consulted with staff several times before accepting ReachOut.com as a worthy organization for his cause. The Bassnectar team have also agreed to distribute ReachOut swag to some 60,000 anticipated concert goers. If you're going to Bass Center 3 look for anybody wearing a ReachOut Tee or if you are going to any of the other stops on his tour, look for goodies from RO! Basically, Lorin (aka Mr. Bassnectar) is an individual who is committed to using his music to help others and making an lasting impact in the world.

Photos by Dave Vann

Are you a bass head? Is making a lasting positive impact in the world important to you?