Our mission is to smash the stigma surrounding mental illness and to build a community of people who realize that hope happens when youth and community leaders work together. We hope that someday mental illness will be as normal to talk about as any physical illness, and are fiercely dedicated to making this goal a reality.
When founder Julia Hansen was in middle school and until her sophomore year in high school she definitely felt alone in dealing with her own depression. The deafening silence and stigma that surrounds the topic kept her from reaching out for help. It took the tragedy of losing her two best friends to suicide in 2015-2016 for her to find her voice and to speak out. She had an idea - to create a space for determined youth to eradicate stigma, build community, and inspire productive conversations about how to combat the rising rates of suicide. The Yellow Tulip Project was born from this vision.
We want young adults to be able to break out of this silence and to talk about mental illness, not suffer alone or feel ashamed. We want everyone to know that hope actually does happen. We do this through outreach and advocacy work, and by coming together as a community to talk about mental illness in the same way that we talk about any physical illness.
Advocate for the posting of mental health help lines in school bathrooms so that those who need support have immediate access.
Hope Gardens bring a community together to collectively smash the stigma associated with mental illness.
Student ambassadors are warriors. They’re honest and willing to share their stories and help others at their schools feel less alone.
On Tuesday, April 23, over 250 people gathered at the UNITED We Thrive Award Luncheon to celebrate and recognize organizations and individuals committed to helping our community thrive through their work in United Way’s focus areas of education, financial stability, and health.
