What a journey it has been! Thank you so much for your contribution to the JCK Foundation and our mission to continue to promote mental health and wellness; before you go, please see below for all the things we’ve been up to in the past year.

Since last year’s “Legends Day,” the JCK Foundation's workshops have reached more than 80 schools, directly impacting over 31,000 students, faculty, and parents. Not only have we continued to add more local schools,  additionally, we’ve continued to expand our efforts to upstate New York, and Connecticut. We've also continued to visit schools in Wyoming, Montana and for the first time, we brought our work to schools in Iowa! Our relationship with Swedish schools continues to thrive, with our program now active in over 20 schools across Sweden in the past 4 years. Throughout the 2025/26 school year, we worked with 27 new schools, significantly expanding our reach and fostering a stronger community! Looking ahead, we’re excited to collaborate with even more states in the upcoming fall.

This quote from a student really stuck out, “Thank you guys for sharing your story and opening up to us. I don’t believe it can be easy to share your own story, but I’m glad you guys did that, and thanks to you guys, I’m comfortable truly being me. Thank you for letting us know it’s okay to feel different. It’s okay to be different, and it’s okay to cry. It’s a great foundation you guys have made, helping people all around the world as well. I truly appreciate the fact that you guys took from your own stories to help others and create the JCK Foundation. So again, thank you.”        

We have continued our “Student Legends Network” where students from various districts come together every other week to discuss ways to make mental health more approachable. These meetings foster self-care, support for friends and classmates as well as the development of confidence, compassion, and essential skills. We’re delighted by its impact and hope it continues to flourish, benefiting as many students as possible! Additionally, our Legends Ambassador Clubs—sanctioned student-led clubs within JCK schools—empower students to lead the charge against mental health stigma. Last year, two of our clubs created presentations for younger students. The Croton Legends Club partnered with their middle school to lead a presentation and small‑group discussions on eating disorders, starting important conversations early and building awareness around a topic that becomes especially relevant in high school. Our Dobbs Ferry Legends Club developed and presented a mental health literacy workshop for Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy in Yonkers, introducing the school to our foundation and demonstrating the power of peer‑led dialogue.

Other exciting initiatives this year included:

• Welcoming 13 High School Seniors from 7 different Westchester Area High Schools to serve as interns for the Month of May. 

• Collaborating with Westchester Student Assistance Services (SAS) to create a referral service  that helps connect adolescents to appropriate mental health and support resources. 

• John’s impactful gambling‑prevention presentation, delivered in partnership with SAS, earned them an invitation to present at the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Annual Conference this month!

We can't thank you enough for your support. It truly means the world to us and we will stop at nothing to help as many people as we possibly can!