2021 Blue Dove Foundation Year in Review

The Year in Review

Transforming the way the Jewish community understands mental health and substance use

The State of Mental Health in 2021 Nearly

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic that has exacerbated an already growing crisis in mental health and substance use, the Blue Dove Foundation has been there for the Jewish community,

raising awareness and providing tools and resources to help address these problems.

800 million people suffer worldwide from mental health disorders.

332 million live with depression.

22 million have active substance use disorders.

Roughly

half of Americans will experience an episode of mental illness in their lives.

Since the start of the pandemic,

alcohol consumption rose 14% in the U.S.; heavy drinking days for women increased by 41%.

41% of adults in the U.S. have experienced anxiety and/or depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

56% of those aged 18-24

42.5 million Americans experience anxiety.

261 Americans die every day as a result of alcohol abuse.

Drinking and driving kills more than 10,000 people a year, or 28 people a day, in the U.S. – about 1 person every 52 minutes.

Mental health data comes from the Kaiser Family Foundation and The Zebra, an insurance comparison website, which credits the National Institute of Mental Health, Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control, and Our World in Data. Drug addiction data comes from Shatterproof, the CDC, and the Edge Treatment Center. Alcohol statistics come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, and USA Today.

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The Year in Review

What is Mental Health?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines it this way on its website:

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act.

It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not the same.

A person can experience poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Likewise, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental, and social well-being.

When we started on this journey in March 2018, we knew mental illness and substance abuse were growing problems across the country and around the world. We were aware the problems existed in the Jewish community, even though very few people wanted to admit it or even talk about it. Back then, one in five Americans was suffering from a mental illness.

If we thought things were bad then, we had no idea what was to come two years later. Nobody was prepared for a pandemic and the number of people who would die from COVID-19. Nor was anyone prepared for COVID’s impact on mental health. The pandemic brought the issue to the forefront, as more and more people started to struggle with depression and anxiety during months of isolation, often turning to alcohol and substances as a way to feel better.

By January 2021, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 41.1 percent of American adults reported symptoms of anxiety and/ or depression. For adults aged 18-24, the figure was 56.2 percent. And while fewer people overall are dying by suicide, recent years have seen an increase in deaths by suicide and suicide attempts by adolescents and young adults.

If there’s a bright side, it’s that more people are talking about mental health and substance abuse. They’re starting to put the shame and stigma around these issues aside and seeking help when they need it. And that is what the Blue Dove Foundation is all about.

Our mission is to educate, equip, and ignite our Jewish community with tools to understand, support, and overcome the challenges presented by mental illness and substance abuse. Since our beginning, we have come a long way. We have reached a great many people and have come to be seen as a top go-to Jewish mental health resource. We have developed innovative programs for educators, synagogues, and other groups.

Most important, the community recognizes there is a problem. Everyone is looking to do something about it, and they’re looking to us for help. We are not the only organization doing this important work; we’re proud to be a part of important collaborations that are helping to elevate the conversation and quiet the silence around mental illness and substance abuse in the Jewish community and beyond.

The Blue Dove Foundation

The Year in Review

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What a year it’s been!

The numbers below testify to the kind of impact Blue Dove has been making.

157 speakers provided for various events and programs 190 attendees at in-person events 2,386 attendees at virtual events 10,096 Jewish mental health holiday resources downloaded

#QuietingTheSilence community conversations

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Blue Dove Foundation workshops and trainings presented to Jewish organizations

The Year in Review

Jewish federations Jewish family agencies Jewish camps Jewish community centers

15,136 people viewed Blue Dove videos online 32,500 unique website visitors

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We appreciate and take pride in the work we do with our numerous partners, including:

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talks and presentations

by Blue Dove Foundation team members

Jewish agencies and organizations Jewish day schools Synagogues of all denominations Interfaith organizations that focus on mental health

What people are saying about us ...

WORKSHOP ORGANIZER

powerful and

engaging

expertise

breath of fresh air

“Having the Blue Dove Foundation host a mental health workshop was a powerful experience. The values they taught us resonated with our organization’s mission and allowed students to really understand mental health in the context of Judaism.

The workshop was interactive and engaging, so it allowed participants to have tangible takeaways they could apply to their daily lives.”

RESOURCE USERS “Our mental health and wellness initiative often uses Blue Dove materials for the education and experience of our synagogue on mental health. We have gratitude for the work you do.”

“The Mental Health Tu’Bishvat Seder from Blue Dove was a breath of fresh air.”

SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWER “It is so important to me that the Jewish community responds to and addresses mental health issues, and I was so excited to see an organization join mental health and Jewish values working in the Jewish community.”

JEWISH COMMUNITY PROFESSIONALS “Thanks again for all you to do elevate and make holy the conversation around mental health and wellness in our Jewish community.”

“The teens loved your session, and we are so appreciative of your partnership.”

#QuietingTheSilence PROGRAM ATTENDEE “I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful program last night. I am new to having this conversation in community and really appreciated the testimonials and expertise as well as the Jewish content.”

DONOR “Thank you for the work you are doing on mental health and suicide. I’m proud to support Blue Dove.”

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2021 saw Blue Dove build on our offerings and create new ones.

Mental health Jewish holiday resources Blue Dove looks at Jewish holidays as a chance to raise awareness about mental health through a lens of Jewish faith, spirituality, religion, and culture.

Our resources and tools help people connect with topics of great importance in today’s world.

Jewish speakers sharing personal stories We create spaces for individuals to share their own life-changing experiences involving mental illness and addiction. Through sharing personal stories of struggle and loss, we aim to show others in similar situations they are not alone.

Our goal is to eliminate the shame and stigma many feel around mental illness and addiction.

You can access online resources at thebluedovefoundation.org. You’ll find the Workshops and Resources tabs in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.

Our mental health resources made

direct connections between mental wellness and Judaism.

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The Year in Review

Workshops for Jewish organizations As the Jewish community looks for ways to understand mental health, Blue Dove has created innovative workshops that look at various mental health topics through Jewish teachings, rituals, and values for individuals of all ages.

We are proud of our accomplishments during the challenging year that was 2021.

Selected by teenagers across the United States for mitzvah, school, and tikkun olam projects.

Dear Blue Dove Foundation, “I’m a 7th grade student. I have been doing a tzedaka project on addiction and mental health, and I have taken interest in your organization and what you do for Jews with mental health issues.

I was wondering if we could set up an interview with one of your staff. Thank you.”

Mentored high school and college student interns.

“Working as an intern with the Blue Dove Foundation has helped me understand the importance of mental health awareness, education, and outreach more deeply and concretely. Blue Dove is sincerely devoted to fighting the stigma surrounding mental health and providing resources to help those who live with mental illness and substance use disorders.” — Lillian, Blue Dove Foundation college intern through Repair the World’s Serve the Moment program “Working as an intern with Blue Dove was an amazing experience that allowed me to gain so many different skills.

Creating a gratitude journal that was sold to many people and potentially could’ve helped someone out of a tough mental space was something I’d never thought I’d be able to do. Blue Dove provided me with real-life experience to create and market a product I was passionate about.” — Lili, Blue Dove Foundation high school intern

Launched our Jewish Women and Girls* Summit in New York and Atlanta. *Now called Anchors, a gender-neutral offering for preteens

Expanded internationally, presenting Blue Dove workshops, attending programs as guest speakers, and joining focus groups in Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

FaithNet

Started taking Blue Dove programs to interfaith communities and other organizations through our role with the NAMI FaithNet Advisory Board and the Partnership Center at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Scalable Professional Programs for Community Educators

AWARENESS Outreach education

F I N A N C I A L

A S S I S T A N C E

The Blue Dove Foundation was created to help address the issues of mental illness and addiction in the Jewish community and beyond.

Recognizing the importance of collaboration when it comes to solving this community problem, we accomplish our work through program, promotional, and support partnerships.

The Foundation values both our existing relationships and future partners whose missions align with ours.

We hope for a healthy and connected Jewish community, where authenticity is valued, where support is accessible without fear or shame, where we can offer effective and affirming solutions for a healthy and engaged Jewish community.

CONNECT WITH US thebluedovefoundation.org @thebluedovefoundation @bluedovefoundation #QuietingTheSilence info@thebluedovefoundation.org (404) 490-2391 1200 Ashwood Parkway Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30338

MAKE A DONATION thebluedovefoundation.org/donate By mail: The Blue Dove Foundation 1200 Ashwood Parkway Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30338

“The Blue Dove Foundation is a great example of a nonprofit making a real difference in their community.”

— Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits