Hi!  I’m Johnathan (trail name – “Lostboy”).  I’m very excited to have a second opportunity to raise money in support of Hike for Mental Health!  The work they do is very near and dear to my heart, as it likely is to many of yours.  Hike for Mental Health donates 100% of the money they and their hikers raise, with 80% going to fund mental health research and treatment and the other 20% going to non-profit groups that maintain America’s wilderness trails.  Whether you have struggled with mental health issues of your own or not, I guarantee you know multiple people who have.  The past year-plus has placed immense strain on healthcare systems and while the vaccines are alleviating some of this, the mental health repercussions of COVID are still emerging and will likely be with us for years to come.  For many of us, mental health struggles predated the pandemic and may have been exacerbated by quarantine or losing a loved one.  Regardless of the type, origin, and severity of the issue, significant progress has been made across the entire mental health field since my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2014 and additional funding is required to continue testing new interventions and bring them to the public.

Mental health struggles are always urgent to those going through them and, given the state we currently find ourselves in as a global population, there has never been a better time to support the work of groups like Hike for Mental Health.  In 2014, I raised $1 for every mile I hiked from Georgia to Maine.  Considering the increased level of need at present, I have doubled that goal for my Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike.  I hope you will help me raise $5300 as I hike 2650 miles from Canada to Mexico this summer!

Be well.