NEWSLETTER Fall 2018

Mission: To eliminate the stigma and encourage safe and caring conversations about mental health issues and emotional pain in our youth.

Donate Sponsorship DMAX Clubs

2nd ANNUAL CASINO NIGHT On October 4, 2018 DMAX Foundation will host our 2nd annual Casino Night! Come on out for a night of upscale dining, fantastic prizes, fun, and Conversations That Matter, all in support of DMAX Foundation. We are grateful to the continuing support of our Foundation Partners, Booz Allen Hamilton and Janssen Research and Development, and Jacobs, our Platinum Presenting Sponsor. We welcome new Gold Sponsors Devereux Behavioral Health and Ardmore Toyota. Don’t miss out on our silent auction where you can bid for your chance to:

● Spend a week on a Holland America Cruise ● Provide SAT/ACT or academic tutoring for your student ● Eat at exciting new restaurants; see a show; stay overnight ● Go shopping, take tennis lessons

The following restaurants will be serving dinner:

We need your support to start new DMAX Clubs on college campuses. Buy a ticket, bring your friends, become an individual sponsor, and ask your employer to consider sponsoring this event. For tickets, sponsorship and donations visit: dmaxfoundation.org/casinonight

UNIVERSITY OF MD STARTS DMAX CLUB DMAX Foundation is excited to announce that our fifth DMAX Club has been approved - at University of Maryland! The DMAX Club has selected Officers and will be attending the UMD Organization Fair this week to

promote the Club and gain members. DMAX Club at the University of Maryland will be led by Co-Presidents, Alaina Garrity and Michelle Garda.

Alaina Garrity is a Psychology major with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She feels that starting this club reflects her passion for helping others. She and Michelle are excited to bring to their campus a change, the importance of which many on campus are not aware. They want to build awareness about Conversations That Matter and to form lasting friendships.

Michelle Garda is an International Business and Public Policy double major. She says she is excited to start the the Club, as she has always struggled with mental health, and has had a hard time finding resources on campus. She is looking forward to seeing the Club grow.

TWITTER CHAT

DMAX Foundation is honored to co-host a Twitter Chat with Stamp Out Stigma. On Wednesday, September 12 at 2:00 PM, visit DMAX’s Twitter page to join in the conversation! https://twitter.com/DMAXFoundation

DMAX CLUBS BEGIN FALL ACTIVITIES DMAX Clubs at Penn State University, Temple, and Elon have begun the semester hosting their first meetings. DMAX CLUB AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Rebecca (Becca) Grimes is the new President at the DMAX Club at Temple University. From New Jersey, Becca is a junior Neuroscience major. She wants to help others regard mental health as important as

physical health. She hopes to create an atmosphere that can foster productive conversations about mental health and allow students to feel comfortable sharing experiences. In addition to DMAX, her interests include cooking, running, and reading. DMAX Club at Temple University attended Temple’s organization fair at the end of

August and had over 100 signups! The Club is planning a collaboration with SAGA, a student organization at Temple. On November 8, Brady Kramer, athlete and mental health advocate, will speak at the event, and the Club will have a table and activity at the panel. Heather DeSalvo will begin her second term as VP. She says of her experience as a Club leader “I love being able to help other people, even if that means just smiling at them when they're sad. I know that being a leader of DMAX Club is helping me make a change in other people's lives.”

DMAX CLUB AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY had their first meeting of the semester on August 29th. President AJ reports “It was a lot fun! We had an ice breaker with M&M’s and gave a presentation on the history of DMAX Club. We topped off the night with making stress balls with DMAX balloons and rice. Everyone was having such a good time, they stayed an extra half hour after the meeting was over just to hangout! Since becoming President of DMAX Club at Penn State I’ve come to see that all college students go through hard times. ...People say that when they come to our club meetings they really enjoy the people and activities we do. It’s just been rewarding as a human being knowing that I’m part of a group that can help people through really hard times.”

DMAX CLUB AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY Drexel students will begin fall semester at the end of September. The DMAX Club at Drexel will resume activities again on October 3, when it hosts a table at Drexel’s Involvement Fair to promote the Club and attract new members.

NEW DMAX CLUBS ON THE HORIZON

We are excited to report that DMAX Foundation and/or students interested in starting a DMAX Club on their campus staffed DMAX Club tables at the college organization fairs or made classroom presentations at the following schools: Saint Joseph’s University, La Salle University, Penn State Brandywine, and University of Delaware. We expect to be able to announce additional new DMAX Clubs in the near future.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING OUR SURVEY! From a total of 1,301 respondents, our survey results showed that: ● 44.7% of students and 59.6% of working adults feel it is important

that their employer has programs to support mental health. ● College students and working adults said that flexible time off and

the ability to work remotely 1+ day per week are the top mental health related programs that they would use at work.

● Schoolwork is the top stressor for students, and having too much to do is the top stressor for adults at work.

● 57.8% of students would participate in a club on campus that is dedicated to honest everyday conversations about mental health.

● 14.8% of students feel that reaching out when you are in need is a sign of weakness.

● 67.7% of working adults feel their supervisor would be supportive if they told them they were struggling with mental health.

To read our full results report, please visit: www.dmaxfoundation.org/surveyresuls We are pleased to announce the following winners in our referral contest:

1st Place: Joanne Paxton 2nd Place: Daniel Kunnel 3rd Place: Rachel Rosen 4th Place: Rebecca Grimes 5th Place: Taylor Wallace

We are grateful to Foundation Partners Booz Allen Hamilton and Janssen Research and Development for supporting our mission. We wish to thank our survey sponsors, Bronze level Main Line Health and Survey level Cross Properties.

Suicide is in the news. We read about celebrities who have taken their lives or that a neighbor, friend or community member has died by suicide. We are shocked, anguished, saddened, frightened. It seems all around us, like an epidemic. We feel vulnerable, frightened and wonder if it will come closer to home. We wonder, what can we do about it?

You can make a difference. Neighbors, friends and community members can be more caring about each other and more alert to someone who may be struggling. Ask the people you care about how they are doing.

Take someone out to coffee. If you are worried about someone, tell them so. If you are suffering, let someone know. If you are honest in talking about how you are doing, you will ease the path for someone else to talk with you. You can help normalize the conversation about mental health.

When more of us start having honest everyday conversations about mental health, we can reduce the isolation and the pressure not to reveal our weaknesses. If we normalize the conversation, those of us who feel we have something to hide can come out of the darkness.

Get involved in an organization that is changing the conversation about mental health. Volunteer your time or expertise. Donate money. Show you care and want to help. Tell college students that they can join or start a DMAX Club on their campus (dmaxfoundation.org/dmaxclub) so they can have Conversations That Matter at an early age. If you know someone that appears to be struggling, you can help by assuring them they are not alone, that you are there with them and will walk the path with them as they find their way out of the darkness. What you cannot do is to ignore them and let them feel isolated and hopeless. If we help them feel connected to others, we can be part of the solution to decrease the suicide epidemic.

Lee Maxwell and Laurie Burstein-Maxwell

GOODBYE TO OUR SUMMER INTERNS DMAX Foundation wishes to thank our summer interns, Alex DiStefano, Antonia Moffat, and Megan Krol for their support, creativity, and passion for our mission! Together they have raised

funds, written articles, made outreach to the community, and strengthened our organization. Megan, a senior at Temple University, is applying to graduate school for her Master’s in Psychology. Alex, a senior at Tampa University, hopes to start a DMAX Club on campus and pursue a career in counseling following graduation. Antonia, a senior at Radnor High, will be heading to college next fall.

DMAX FOUNDATION'S FALL INTERNS

KARLEIGH LOPEZ is currently a junior at Saint Joseph’s University. She is majoring in Communications with a minor in English and in Justice, Ethics, and Law. Karleigh is also a cheerleader for SJU, an opinion writer for The Hawk newspaper, and a member of the Phi Sigma Pi national honors fraternity. She is an active member in various groups on campus and believes that the only way to improve mental health is to provide

a place for open communication among peers. Karleigh says she hopes to spread DMAX’s mission not only to the groups in which she is involved, but also to Saint Joseph’s University as a whole.

JAVIER RODRIGUEZ is a currently a Senior at Saint Joseph’s University, majoring in both Sports Marketing, and Leadership, Ethics,

and Organizational Sustainability. Javier comes to DMAX following a marketing internship at the World Boxing Association, and prior to that, he interned at Colquim. Javier says he has a huge drive to succeed and is always willing to help and learn from others around him. Born and raised in Venezuela, he has experienced some of the consequences that a failed state can bring to the mental health of his people, his friends, and family members. He believes that being open,

and honest about what we think and feel can bring people closer together. Javier is a huge sports fan, specifically soccer, and his dream is to use sports as a means to unite people.

How do you talk to your kid about mental health? Read the September issue of Main Line Today where DMAX Executive Director, Laurie Burstein-Maxwell, urges parents of students who are struggling to check in with them often.“That child isn’t with his parents all the time, so teachers, coaches and other adults need to watch for concerning behaviors. Meanwhile, keep talking and checking in to see how he’s feeling.” Click here for the full article.

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK Remember to have Conversations That Matter about mental health with your friends, family, and children, especially if they are struggling. Simply starting the conversation may save a life. Visit our website for some great tips and Conversation Starters.

DMAX WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS DAVID DISTEFANO joined DMAX Foundation’s Board of Directors in June, 2018. David serves as the President and CEO of Exude, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in Organizational Health, Employee Benefits, Human Capital Management, Risk Management and Retirement Planning. As a seasoned executive and recognized sales thought leader, David is passionate about working

with business leaders to help improve their organizational health, employee engagement and organizational results. Prior to Exude, David worked at Frontline as Chief Revenue Officer, and spent 22 years at Richardson, where he served as its President and CEO.

WALTER (BUCK) BUCKLEY joined DMAX Foundation’s Board of Advisors after having been a source of consistent support and guidance to the Foundation for several years. Prior to co-founding Seminal Capital Partners, Walter was the co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Actua Corporation, previously known as Internet Capital Group. Prior to founding Actua, Walter was VP of Acquisitions for Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., where he led a

number of Safeguard’s investments through the mid-1990s. Speaking of DMAX Foundation, Buck says, “I believe strongly in the mission of the Foundation,” -Walter Buckley, Seminal Capital.

DMAX FOUNDATION PRESENTS TO FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES Janssen Research and Development. In August, DMAX presented to interns at Janssen (Left to right, Megan Krol, DMAX Intern; Kris Kelley Majors, DMAX Outreach and Administrative Coordinator; Alex DiStefano, DMAX intern; and Deanna Mauro and Angela Le, Janssen interns). Deanna, President of Active Minds at Drexel University said that DMAX Clubs are “more inclusive than other clubs on campus because you don't need to have a mental illness to be a part of it. And unfortunately because of the stigma surrounding mental illness, people shy away from anything that might make others think/know that they have one. I like that DMAX includes everyone, and think that's a great way to start having these important conversations.”

Jacobs. Following an August presentation by Lee and Laurie to Jacobs’ Conshohocken facility, Michael Trent, Jacobs’ Process Engineer wrote, “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving us your time last week. This topic hits close to home in our office – a few years back a colleague took their life. At the time nobody knew how to approach the topic and it was hardly discussed. Now it seems these topics are less taboo and the people in our office are more empowered to face this head on. What you are doing is so important and I am grateful there are people in the world like yourselves.” Booz Allen Hamilton. In August, Laurie and Lee joined board member Rob O’Brien for Booz Allen Hamilton’s Intern Casino Night in Herndon, VA. They connected with students from several colleges who are excited to start DMAX Clubs on their campus in the future.

DMAX Foundation is tremendously grateful for generous support from individuals, corporations, and foundations that make it possible for us to create DMAX Clubs for young people to talk about how they’re doing, how their friends are doing, and how they can help each other.

DMAX FOUNDATION IN-KIND SPONSORS