SUPPORT STORIES, REDUCE ISOLATION.
A few years ago, I was sitting in a parking lot trying to figure out how to tell a story about survival in less than a week.
I didn't know it would turn into this.
The U.S. Surgeon General released a report in 2023 calling loneliness and isolation a public health crisis—as serious a risk to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That hit me. Because loneliness isn't just about being alone. It's about struggling in silence. It's about not knowing if anyone else feels the way you do. It's about carrying something heavy and wondering if it's safe to put it down.
That's why we make films.
We create narrative stories that explore the things people don't always talk about—suicidal ideation, addiction, grief, depression, isolation—and we pair those films with facilitated conversations, screenings, and real mental health resources.
Not because we have all the answers. We don't.
But because storytelling opens doors. It reminds people they're not alone. It creates space for honest conversation in a world that desperately needs more of it.
When you donate, you're not just funding a film. You're helping create moments where someone realizes they matter. You're supporting spaces where people can show up imperfectly and still belong. You're investing in the belief that connection—real, human connection—can make a difference.
This work isn't easy. It isn't always comfortable. But it matters.
And we can't do it without you.
Thank You for Supporting
Mental Health Through Story
Your generosity helps turn silence into conversation—and conversation into healing.
What Your Donation Supports
Your contribution directly helps us:
- Produce new short films focused on mental health, healing, and resilience
-
Host community screenings followed by guided discussions and Q&A sessions
- Provide discussion guides and mental health resources to organizations, schools, and community groups
- Partner with mental health professionals and nonprofits to ensure conversations are safe, informed, and impactful
- Expand access to free or low-cost programming for communities that need it most
- Offer employment opportunities to those in the community who need it.
Why Film Matters in
Mental Health
Film has a unique ability to reach people emotionally—often before they're ready to speak.
By telling stories rooted in lived experience, we help viewers recognize their own struggles or better understand what others may be going through. But it's not just film. It's art itself—and the connection it creates.
In his book "Project Unlonely: How Fighting Isolation Can Save Our Lives," Dr. Jeremy Nobel explores how arts-based interventions can transform health outcomes in profound ways. In one study he references, diabetes patients participated in art-led sessions focused on community and creative expression. The results were remarkable: every participant showed lower blood pressure levels—not from medication, but from connection. Art became the conduit. Belonging became the treatment.
That's what we're after here.
Not art for art's sake, but art as a way in. A way to feel less alone. A way to start conversations that might otherwise never happen.
Film, specifically, works because it meets people where they are. You don't have to be ready to talk. You don't have to have the words yet. You just have to be willing to watch—and in that watching, something shifts. You see yourself. You see someone you love. You realize you're not the only one carrying this weight.
Our films are designed to:
• Reduce stigma around mental health struggles
• Encourage early intervention and help-seeking behavior
• Foster empathy and understanding across different experiences
• Open doors to healing conversations—in person and online
• Create a sense of belonging through shared storytelling
For many people, watching a story unfold on screen is the first step toward asking for help. Not because the film has all the answers, but because it reminds them they're not alone in the question.
We pair every film with facilitated conversations, mental health resources, and opportunities for real connection. Because the story is just the beginning. What happens after—the dialogue, the recognition, the "me too"—that's where the healing starts.
Art doesn't fix everything. But it opens the door. And sometimes, that's exactly what someone needs to walk through.
For me, seeing stories that resonate with my mental well-being have a profound impact on how I view what I am going through. It helps me see the same situation from a different perspective that helps me better understand what I am going through and how others might be navigating their own situations. It helps curate empathy for those without the same lived experiences.
- Andrew Smith, Founder
Your Impact
Because we focus on short films and community-based screenings, your support goes further. Even a single donation can help us reach dozens—or thousands—of people through screenings, online views, and facilitated discussions.
Together, we’re building a growing library of stories that remind people they are not alone.
Ways to Give
You can support our work through:
- One-time donations
- Recurring monthly gifts
- Event or screening sponsorship (e.g., allowing us to curate an event at your location)
- Film-specific support (such as upcoming productions)
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps sustain this mission.
Thank You for Supporting
Mental Health Through Story
Your generosity helps turn silence into conversation—and conversation into healing.
Your Support Changes Lives
Every donation helps us create powerful films and community experiences that spark real conversations around mental health.
Join the Movement
Finding Inspiration Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your donation is tax-deductible.
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