CONTENT WARNING: THIS ARTICLE MENTIONS SUICIDE AND SUICIDE IDEATION.
Hi Ali, I really appreciate the opportunity to interview you about the important and much-needed support system that Find Your Anchor gives. Before we dive into the details of the movement, I’d love to start by learning a little more about you. Where are you from?
Hey there, Matty! Thank you so much for having me! I’m originally from Philly, but have slowly migrated west. I had a ten year pitstop in Chicago, before fleeing the polar vortex (yes, that was a real thing!) for Southern California back in 2019.
1. For those that aren’t aware, what is Find Your Anchor? Can you tell us about the founding story of Find Your Anchor? What inspired its creation and how did the grassroots movement begin?
Find Your Anchor is a grassroots movement (and nonprofit!) dedicated to suicide prevention, awareness, and education. We approach this work with creativity and a deeply personal touch, aiming to support those who are struggling and de-stigmatize conversations surrounding suicide and mental health. We’re fueled by the desire to save lives – believing in the power of creativity, small acts of kindness, and community to effect real change.
Find Your Anchor was born out of my own lived experience. Frankly, I created it as a direct response to how sterile, corporate, and cold so many other mental health resources felt. In my darkest moments, I didn’t want a white hospital brochure with 1-800-numbers. I needed to know someone cared. I needed connection. Find Your Anchor was created by someone who gets it, someone who’s been there, by a stranger who cares.
The core idea is that everyone needs an anchor – a dependable, stable, secure base to hold onto, something that keeps you grounded no matter what storms may come. Find Your Anchor doesn’t presume to be the anchor, or have all the answers. Instead, we set out to create a community of anchors, and we do that with the help of our little blue boxes.
These boxes, sometimes referred to as “mental health first aid kits,” are packed with tangible materials designed to inspire and offer support. Items include a 52+ Reasons to Live deck of cards, an infographic on depression, list of resources, posters, stickers, a letter from a stranger who cares, a mixtape of uplifting music, a bracelet, and other sweet nothings – all infused with color, good vibes, and a personal touch.
Find Your Anchor translates mental health support into something you can physically hold. Each box is a gift you can give to a loved one, a tool that can be pulled from a backpack, kept in a car, or placed on a friend’s desk when they need it most. It’s a curated experience, created by someone with lived experience. Our FYA box is so much more than a care package – it’s a catalyst for difficult conversations and a tangible tool in the fight to save lives.
It all started very organically. I began creating these boxes and sharing them with friends, family, anyone I thought might benefit. Then I started launching them “out in the wild” for people to find – in the self-help section of the library, on a park bench, in a coffee shop, on a fish statue in Amsterdam. Everywhere. Anywhere. The response was immediate and powerful. It became clear that this kind of tangible, personal support was desperately needed.
From there, it grew into a grassroots movement, with more and more people joining in to help build boxes, spread the word, and support each other. We’ve now launched over 94,000 FYA boxes into schools, communities, and directly into the hands of those struggling, and we’re continuing to expand our reach every day.
2. What role do community engagement and local partnerships play in the work that Find Your Anchor does? Can you share some examples of how local communities are involved in your efforts?
Community engagement and local partnerships are fundamental to Find Your Anchor’s work. We’re incredibly aware that we cannot do this work alone. We can go so much further when we join forces for something powerful. Because of this, we regularly partner with organizations that complement our own to help us reach more communities in targeted ways.
One unique benefit of FYA boxes is their ability to be customized for specific geographic or demographic regions. With each partnership, we offer the option of customized resources. This means that every box sent to that partner is packed with resources unique to that location and/or the demographic our partner serves. This flexibility gives us maximum reach, because our focus in that partnership comes from the focus of our partners. We utilize their expertise in the region to make the most meaningful impact where they are.
We’ve had so many partners help us reach more people than we ever could alone. One partnership we’re especially proud of is our work with Teen Mental Health First Aid / National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Together we’ve launched 10,000 boxes into over 100 high schools across the country.
Additional partners include: Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Vikings, Comedy Gives Back, Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Super Bowl Host Committee, MusiCares, Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, Verizon, Chicago Public Schools, Kevin Bacon’s Six Degrees, and Kate Spade New York.
Essentially, we see ourselves as part of a larger ecosystem of support. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But by working closely with local communities, we can leverage their existing strengths, tap into their unique understanding of the local ecosystem, and ensure that our resources are reaching those who need them most. It’s about empowering communities to take ownership of their own mental health support and build a stronger, more compassionate network for everyone.
3. Mental health and suicide prevention are deeply sensitive topics. How does Find Your Anchor approach these subjects in a way that encourages open dialogue and reduces stigma?
We approach mental health as humans. I was once told that the FYA box felt like a hug from a friend, and to me that’s everything.
The people that request FYA boxes are not barcodes or insurance group numbers – they’re Mattys and Alis. Although everyone’s experience with mental health is different, at the end of the day we all share a common humanity. So our goal is to infuse humanity into everything we do at FYA.
Beyond that, we use the power of creativity to approach these sensitive topics. Find Your Anchor’s whole brand is designed to be creative, visually appealing, and welcoming.
The Find Your Anchor boxes themselves also play a crucial role in opening dialogue. They’re not just a collection of items; they’re a conversation starter, a tangible expression of care, and a tool that can be used in a private, personal way.
We’re also all about anchors, which we define as the little things in life that bring you joy. They don’t have to be groundbreaking or obvious. Anchors can be steak tacos, a lazy Sunday, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, a hot shower, pink Starbursts, an iced dirty chai, the smell of fresh laundry.
My go-to anchors if I’m having a bad day: I want to come home, lay on the sofa, order Chinese food, and watch Sister Act 2. It’s not solving any of my problems. It’s just something to get you through another night, another two hours, another 10 minutes.
These seemingly small things can have such a huge ripple in someone’s life – especially someone who’s struggling.
4. How does Find Your Anchor educate the public on identifying warning signs of suicide and supporting individuals in crisis? What resources or tools do you offer to individuals and communities?
FYA boxes are catalysts for tough conversations around mental health. We’ve realized that a large barrier to help is the fear of the conversation itself, so we’re always focused on how we can use creativity to make a heavy conversion easier.
Once that conversation is started, the box itself becomes a roadmap for support.
Each FYA box includes a curated infographic on depression, complete with self care tips and recommendations for help. The infographic itself is thoughtfully designed and infused with color. It’s meant to transcend the impersonal “white hospital pamphlet” and educate people without making them feel like a statistic.
Every FYA box we launch into the world also comes with two identical resource lists. We always include two because we encourage individuals to relaunch their boxes for someone new if/when they no longer need them. When they relaunch the box, they can hold onto one list and leave one in the box.
For every large partnership we have, we also offer our partners the option to customize these resources. That way a school in Appalachia can receive localized resources that are relevant to them, while an LGBTQ+ center in Las Vegas can receive ones more focused on their needs.
At the end of the day, our goal is to equip individuals (and communities!) with the knowledge and tools they need to offer support in a way that is both compassionate and effective. That starts with opening the door to conversations on mental health and ends with making people feel seen and valued. We believe that by empowering people to find their anchors we’re creating a grassroots network of support that can make a real difference in preventing suicide.
For anyone struggling, here are a few resources to get you started:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Call or Text: 988
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741 741
- The Trevor Project – 1-866-488-7386
- Find A Helpline – Global Directory
- findyouranchor.us/Resources
5. What has been the most impactful moment or success story you’ve experienced since starting the movement? How do you measure the effectiveness of your work in preventing suicides?
Several years ago we stumbled on an article about a woman’s experience with a Find Your Anchor box. She was in Las Vegas for work and was in the car with her driver, Marques. The two made small talk for a while, until she asked him his plans for the weekend. He responded that he planned to take his life. Immediately, she canceled her meetings for the day.
She just so happened to have a Find Your Anchor box in her purse. They went through the box together and the two sat for hours in the car, talking. Marques said that moment, that box, saved his life.
The two of them both ended up getting anchor tattoos – in honor of this lifesaving encounter. We’ve also now had the pleasure to meet Marques and are honored to call him our friend.
That woman, it turns out, was Maya Enista Smith – the Executive Director of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation – now also a dear friend, an incredible mentor, and the officiant at my wedding!
To hear about the impact of FYA from Maya herself: youtube.com/watch?v=n9AbESeuZzw
This story captures Find Your Anchor in a nutshell, but nearly every week we receive messages from box recipients telling us that the box saved a life. These testimonials are so powerful to us, not just because they demonstrate the box’s impact, but also because they don’t strip the humanity out of that impact.
We can always provide you with more data/metrics, but receiving messages like these below demonstrate the true power of this movement. People are literally telling us that this box saved their life.
– “Your movement saved my life. I was going through a really tough time, and I contemplated suicide daily for close to 9 months. I was skeptical at first, when I saw the box. I did not think that there can be anything someone puts in a box this size that would show me a reason to live. You guys gave me 52.”
– “I just wanted to let you know that you saved a life today.”
– “Last year I received one of your boxes and it made all the difference in the world for me. Just recently I have found myself opening it again and again to regain that strength and hope that exists within your mission.”
– “Yesterday, I opened my mailbox and found a package in there from you. From the deep depths of my heart, I thank you. You’ve saved a life.”
I can’t think of a greater impact than that.
Ali Borowsky is the Founder/CEO of Find Your Anchor
For more about Find Your Anchor: findyouranchor.us
Find Your Anchor on Instagram: findyouranchorbox
Find Your Anchor is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit- please consider making a donation today.
Ctrl Alt Delete Stress 