The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Makes Transformational Philanthropic Investment in Mental Health Tech-Non Profit, Project Healthy Minds, To Scale Its Innovative Free Digital Mental Health Marketplace
New York, January 4, 2024 — The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, chaired by Arthur M. Blank (Co-Founder of The Home Depot and Owner of the Atlanta Falcons) has made a $675,000 philanthropic grant to mental health tech non-profit, Project Healthy Minds, to scale its novel free digital marketplace for finding and accessing mental health services.
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s grant comes as a part of a larger focus on digital mental health as an area of opportunity for impact addressing the mental health crisis – especially for young people.
“We are so grateful to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for its visionary leadership on mental health and for this catalytic philanthropic investment in Project Healthy Minds and in our work to harness technology to expand access to life-changing mental health services for younger and more diverse communities,” said Phillip Schermer, Founder & CEO of Project Healthy Minds. “The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s philanthropic support and partnership will meaningfully accelerate our ability to serve 10 million Americans over the next 10 years.”
"We are pleased to support innovative new solutions that address mental health and well-being, especially among young people,” said Beth Brown, managing director, Mental Health and Well-Being, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “What we particularly appreciate about Project Healthy Minds is their leadership in using technology, which we often consider contributing to mental health challenges, as part of the solution.”
The growing mental health crisis, which was already at epidemic levels pre-pandemic, is now a center stage issue. In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report on the epidemic of loneliness, which highlighted that the physical health consequences of poor or insufficient connection include a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Mental health has replaced COVID as the top health concern among Americans, according to a recent IPSOS survey. Teen girls are experiencing record levels of sadness and suicide risk according to the CDC. Mental health is also costing businesses. Mental health costs the U.S. economy $47.6 billion annually in lost productivity, according to new research from Gallup.
To learn more about the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s grant announcement, please visit: https://blankfoundation.org/arthur-m-blank-family-foundation-grants-more-than-8-million/
About Project Healthy Minds
Project Healthy Minds is a Millennial & Gen Z-driven mental health tech non-profit. Project Healthy Minds is democratizing access to mental health services by building the world’s first free digital mental health marketplace, destigmatizing mental health by partnering with culture-makers, and improving access and affordability by advocating for innovative workplace investments in employee mental health. The non-profit is focused on closing the treatment gap in America by attacking these primary barriers to care: stigma, discoverability, and affordability. Project Healthy Minds’ programmatic initiatives serve more than 200,000 people annually.
To learn more, please visit: www.projecthealthyminds.com
Media Contact:
press@projecthealthyminds.com
