The Hartford, a leading provider of employee benefits, and Active Minds, a leading mental health nonprofit organization, are expanding their partnership to bring the award-winning Send Silence Packing^® exhibit to more than 100 U.S. college and university campuses in 2024 and 2025. Announcing the expanded partnership during National Suicide Prevention Month, Active Minds released new data that shows 76% of Send Silence Packing attendees supported their own well-being with information from the exhibit and 70% have supported their friends and family.

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Entrance of Send Silence Packing mental health education exhibit (Photo: Business Wire)

“No family, neighborhood, or business remains untouched by today’s mental health crisis that is claiming the lives of far too many youth and young adults,” said The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. “We believe that education is the antidote to stigma blocking care, and a collective community response to this health emergency must include young adults as essential partners. We are honored to partner with Active Minds to bring their powerful exhibit to communities in need to increase mental health awareness, inspire hope, and save lives.”

Send Silence Packing features more than 100 backpacks with the mental health stories of 100 individuals centering on themes of loss, survival, and resilience. At the event, mental health professionals provide attendees with information, encouraging youth and young adults to foster open conversations about mental health, share resources, and reduce stigma.

“For decades, we have amplified the voices of young people facing mental health challenges,” said Alison Malmon, the founder and executive director of Active Minds. “We hope that by sharing these powerful stories of loss and survival, we can inspire communities nationwide to take action, drive meaningful conversations, and provide critical support to those in need. Together, we can break the silence and create a culture where mental health is openly discussed and prioritized.”

The fall 2024 Send Silence Packing tour is slated to stop in 23 cities across nine states, reaching an estimated 375,000 students.

• Aug. 29 - The University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
• Sept. 3 - Ohio University (Athens, Ohio)
• Sept. 5 - Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, New York)
• Sept. 9 - New England Patriots Foundation (Boston)
• Sept. 10 - University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia)
• Sept. 12 - Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta)
• Sept. 18 - Miami Dade College, North Campus (Miami)
• Sept. 19 - Miami Dade College, Homestead Campus (Miami)
• Sept. 20 - Miami Dade College, Hialeah Campus (Miami)
• Sept. 25 - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Edwardsville, Illinois)
• Sept. 26 - Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, Illinois)
• Oct. 3 - The University of Illinois Springfield (Springfield, Illinois)
• Oct. 8 - Governors State University (University Park, Illinois)
• Oct. 9 - Chicago State University (Chicago)
• Oct. 10 - Northern Illinois University (Dekalb, Illinois)
• Oct. 17 - Modesto Junior College (Modesto, California)
• Oct. 21 - Madera Community College (Madera, California)
• Oct. 22 - Fresno City College (Fresno, California)
• Oct. 24 - Reedley College (Reedley, California)
• Oct. 28 - Santa Barbara City College (Santa Barbara, California)
• Oct. 31 - College of the Desert (Santa Clarita, California)
• Nov. 5 - Mount San Jacinto College (San Jacinto, California)
• Nov. 7 - La Sierra University (Riverside, California)
• Nov. 8 - California Polytechnic University Pomona (Pomona, California)
• Nov. 14 - East Central University (Ada, Oklahoma)

With The Hartford’s support, Active Minds will focus in 2025 on bringing Send Silence Packing to youth and young adults with a critical need for additional mental health support, such as Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ students. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates are increasing faster among Black adolescents than any other racial and ethnic group. CDC data also shows nearly half (41%) of LGBTQ+ teens seriously considered suicide during the previous 12 months, compared to just 13% of cisgender and heterosexual students.

Partnered on Prevention

With a shared focus on prevention and action, The Hartford and Active Minds announced a partnership earlier this year to provide direct support to next-gen workers and energize the next generation of mental health advocates. Together, they hosted Send Silence Packing at the Connecticut State Capitol this past April. In addition, they have launched a new digital guide that helps young adults navigate mental health resources in the workplace and created a career path workbook for the advocates attending Active Minds national conference in early August.

The collaboration with Active Minds is The Hartford’s latest initiative in a multi-year effort to change the culture around mental health in the workplace.

About Active Minds

Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Active Minds has a presence at more than 1,000 campuses, schools, communities, and workplaces nationwide, and is powered by a robust Chapter Network, the nationally acclaimed Send Silence Packing^® display, and inspiring Active Minds Speakers. The organization is dedicated to ending the silence and changing the culture around mental health for everyone. To learn more, visit https://www.activeminds.org/.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at https://www.thehartford.com.

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.

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