Meet Malachi Castilote. Diagnosed at 18 with a rare terminal illness, Malachi is the oldest living child in the United States receiving treatment for Batten’s Disease CLN2. Facing the challenges of his condition, he turned to art & the community around it as an outlet for coping with the loneliness that often accompanies his journey. […]

Meet Beth Okamoto. Beth has always been a perfectionist, and anxiety has woven itself into her life story. The loneliness she felt during the COVID lockdowns led her to seek help from her school counselor, Mrs. Goetz, who became a vital part of her support system. Inspired by this experience, Beth now aspires to become […]

You’ve heard us say “We want to end youth loneliness” but you may be wondering, “How exactly are they going to do that?” and “If I jump on board, what exactly am I helping to support?” We wanted to break it down for you. Here are 7 real-life examples of donor dollars in action. This […]

Growing up in and out of the foster care system, Zach’s childhood was marked by loneliness. With his first brush with the justice system at age eight, he spent much of middle and high school in juvenile detention. It was when he met his mentor, Jackson, that Zach began to believe he had the potential […]

Meet Lorie, the final storyteller of season 2 for the I Know Lonely Project. When her story took a different direction than she expected, Lorie found herself alone at the darkest point in her life. A friend reaching out with a simple message during a moment of crisis ended up changing the trajectory for her. […]

Meet Abbi Hamlin, our season 2 storyteller for the I Know Lonely Project this month. As a middle school athlete, Abbi struggled with a severe eating disorder. Through her journey, she shares about the power of friendships in her story and how connecting with the right therapist changed her healing journey. Now, Abbi works as […]

Meet Kevin Berthia, the first storyteller of 2024 for season 2 of the I Know Lonely Project. As a survivor of 22 suicide attempts, depression and a battle over mental health has always been a deep part of Kevin’s story. His journey hasn’t been an easy one, but Kevin lives life with hope. Kevin shared […]

Meet Mike Elvasky. Mike is 100 years old and we had the honor of hearing his story and gaining some of the wealth of wisdom he has to share. Whether it was his time serving in World War II, his many years as a farmer and orchardist, or his career as a teacher and educator, Mike shares with us what he has learned to value the most— friendship and generosity.

Meet Lyndsey Sprinkle. When 15 year old Lyndsey experienced a near-fatal car accident, she was forced to start over, back to the basics of learning to walk and talk again. Due to the extent of her injuries, she began to get into hardcore pain management and before she knew it, addiction took over. After years in the cycle of addiction and drug dealing, she reached a point of desperation. While she’s walked through a difficult path to recovery, Lyndsey has found hope on the other side of addiction. She wants to use her story and experiences to remind others that they are not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help.

As a people who desire meaning, asking the question “why?” is in our DNA.  But when that question becomes “why did someone die?”, it gets pretty complex and painful. In the wake of tragic death, shock, confusion, numbness, anger, guilt, anxiety, and panic can come in waves leaving the one grieving struggling to find their […]

TW: Mentions of death and suicide  Ever since I was little, my mom has been my best friend. She had this spectacular way of walking the line between being parent and friend. She was so humble, so smart, so kind. My mom is the one who taught me to love music and the arts. She […]