About us
The Sam Taylor Foundation empowers teens and young adults by promoting social support, mental health awareness and encouraging help-seeking and help-giving behaviors through thoughtful counseling, services/programs, group sessions, and partnerships, as well as through local media. We strengthen teens/young adults by working directly with East Bay high schools to put systems, programs, and policies in place to create a culture of caring. We mobilize communities by providing education, training, and tools to teens/families, friends, extra-curricular groups, and others.
Our vision
We envision a future where:
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Every high school has a known program or service that supports student emotional health and reduces the risks of substance misuse, self harm and suicide.
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All teens and young adults are equipped to navigate mental health challenges and to seek and give help and are emotionally prepared to enter adulthood and fulfill their potential.
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We speak openly about mental health challenges and options for support.
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Free mental health care is a part of general health and wellness and not associated with shame, secrecy or prejudice.
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Parents, mentors , friends and siblings of struggling teens are provided with support and guidance.
Our story
On December 22nd, 2017, we lost our youngest son, Sammy, to suicide. Although suicide was and continues to be a leading cause of death among young adults, schools had no uniform model for addressing or preventing suicide. Our family/community struggled to overcome the shame and secrecy that prevented honest discussion of mental health. In 2021, we founded The Sam Taylor Foundation to overcome these hurdles and launch services and programs to help teens struggling with this illness. Together we’re hoping to help students navigate the emotional challenges of adolescence to prepare for adulthood, and thrive.
