Be Strong and the Never Alone Campaign continue to advance on uniting students, parents, guardians, school staff, foundations, and corporate partners to bridge the gap in care for young people.
Be Strong, a leading national charity focused on strengthening mental, emotional, and relational health among youth, launched the Never Alone Campaign in 2025 to commemorate its 10th anniversary and sweep hope, help and healing across the United States. The campaign aims to ensure young people know they are never alone, and that help is always available, addressing alarming statistics that show 40% of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 20% have seriously considered suicide in the past year.
Dr. Pamela Morris-Perez, professor of applied psychology at NYU and Be Strong advisory board member, notes that, “Be Strong’s highly innovative peer-to-peer approach builds squarely on the science of adolescent development. By putting resources directly into the hands of youth, Be Strong is preventing problems from escalating, ensuing that young people are accessing the help they need to thrive.”
Longtime partners Fingent, an award-winning, leading global software company, and Global Food Solutions, a national leader in school nutrition and one of the fastest-growing K-12 providers of breakfast and lunch products in the United States, have strengthened their support to young people and have chosen to lean in and sponsor the Never Alone Campaign, increasing the Never Alone Campaign Match Gift to $150,000.
Over the past 10 years, the Be Strong community has achieved remarkable success in addressing youth mental health challenges through innovative, collaborative and technology-enabled solutions. The organization has helped 170,967 people in crisis with immediate and ongoing support, recruited and trained 5,847 Be Strong Student Representatives across school campuses, and provided 1,491 schools and districts with evidence-based resilience programming. Through free community events, Be Strong has educated over 5.2 million students in resilience-building techniques.
“We are honored to deepen our partnership with Be Strong through our sponsorship of the Never Alone Campaign,” said Varghese Samuel, CEO and Managing Director of Fingent. “Having worked alongside Be Strong for nearly a decade, we have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of their peer-to-peer approach to mental health support. At Fingent, we recognize that providing mental health programs to young people is not just a social responsibility, it’s an investment in our collective future.”
“Fingent’s understanding of how technology can bridge gaps in mental health access and care aligns perfectly with our vision of ensuring no young person faces their struggles alone,” said RonO Polito, CTO of Be Strong. “This sponsorship will directly contribute to expanding our reach and deepening our impact during this critical time for youth mental health.”
“At Fingent, we believe in using technology for good — and that includes supporting the wellbeing of our next generation,” said Dileep Jacob, SVP of Fingent.
Global Food Solutions’ and Fingent’s sponsorships reinforce that through collaboration, innovation, partnerships, and leveraging technology, together we will create a better, more inclusive future — especially for vulnerable communities.
Global Food Solutions has been a partner of Be Strong at the intersection and correlation of food insecurity and emotional intelligence. Global Food Solutions delivers more than 100 million food portions annually to over 10,500 schools and institutions nationwide.
“At Global Food Solutions, we believe that nourishing students is foundational to helping them learn, grow, and thrive – but true wellness goes beyond food. Be Strong’s work addresses the full picture of what kids need to succeed, and we’re proud to stand with them to expand access, build resilience, and remind every child they’re not alone.” Michael Levine, CEO, Global Food Solutions
Mr. Levine broke new ground with Be Strong when he boldly stood on behalf of the organization alongside Be Strong Student Leader Gigi, just 7 years old, as she became the youngest person in history to ring the Nasdaq Stock Market Closing Bell. Nasdaq invited Be Strong to close the bell and provided a voice for the voiceless. The closing bell ceremony was aired by CNN International, Bloomberg, CNBC, FBN, After the Bell, and Fox News. Making her national television debut, Gigi proclaimed, “I am here on behalf of all of the students in America. Let’s Be Strong. Ring that bell!”
Global Food Solutions ensures that no child leaves a Be Strong event hungry. Levine serves on Be Strong’s Advisory Board where he provides support, insight, and innovative opportunities such as direct access to the Be Strong App and resources on food packaging within his brands to better serve students.
“I recall when the statistical relationship of food insecurity, emotional intelligence, technology, and access went from data to breaking my heart and renewing it,” said Ashleigh Cromer, CEO and Chair of the Board at Be Strong. “When a child tells you he’s struggled with anger, been called a bully for years, and wondered if his anger had anything to do with the fact he hadn’t eaten in three days,” Cromer continued, “in that moment, the connection changed from statistical to an opportunity for hope, help, and healing. I got out the Be Strong App and helped this young man connect with immediate and ongoing help”.
The efforts and impact of Be Strong are made possible by committed and deeply rooted partners like Fingent and Global Food Solutions. If you are looking to bring Be Strong to your community, visit www.bestrong.org.
For help anytime, anywhere in the US, download the free and anonymous Be Strong App from the Apple and Google Play stores.
