Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with more than 48,000 Americans dying by suicide each year. It is the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10–34. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the largest suicide prevention organization in the country, is a nonprofit that provides a nationwide community for those affected by suicide and is powered by research, education, and advocacy.
To advance these aims in the digital space, AFSP launched the Lifesaver Ambassadors program—an influencer initiative that builds a community of creators modeling open, informed, and compassionate conversations about mental health and suicide prevention. These creators are integrated into AFSP’s work—from fundraising to chapter events and conferences—elevating what it means to be a brand ambassador.
The Lifesaver Ambassadors program seeks to increase awareness and understanding of suicide prevention and normalize honest conversations about mental health, while supporting ambassadors so the partnership is valuable to their own lives and mental health journeys.
More specifically, the program aims to:
Build and sustain a community of content creators dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Raise public awareness of suicide warning signs and steps individuals can take to support themselves or someone at risk.
Encourage audiences to talk openly about suicide, highlighting the potentially lifesaving role of these conversations.
Strengthen awareness of AFSP as a trusted, research-based leader and funder in suicide prevention and a resource for those affected by suicide.
AFSP’s broader strategy is to create a culture that is “smart about mental health” through education, community programs, research, and advocacy. Within this framework, the Lifesaver Ambassadors program leverages the credibility and reach of trusted digital creators to:
Shift suicide and mental health discussions from silence and stigma to openness and understanding.
Embed AFSP’s evidence-based messaging into everyday social content.
Foster an online community where personal stories, vulnerability, and education coexist.
AFSP used four core tactics:
Curated creator collective: Recruiting creators with meaningful connections to the cause—loss survivors, attempt survivors, mental health advocates, or long-time AFSP supporters—who became a mission-aligned influencer cohort.
Story-driven content: Encouraging authentic personal storytelling that integrated AFSP’s core messages, including warning signs of suicide, “Talk Away the Dark,” and the importance of seeking support.
Education embedded in conversations: Providing guidance and resources to ensure content was emotionally resonant and grounded in safe, evidence-based messaging.
DEI-centered selection: Prioritizing diversity so audiences could see themselves reflected and feel mental health conversations were relevant.
The first year of the Lifesaver Ambassadors program ran from June 2024 to June 2025, with the second year running from July 2025 through June of 2026. Between January 1, 2025 and February 19, 2026, AFSP partnered with twelve content creators to amplify key tentpole moments:
Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) (May)
AFSP Out of the Darkness Walks across 73 chapters
Pride Month (June)
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (September)
Giving Season and year-end fundraising
Men’s Health Month (June)
AFSP collaborated with high-visibility creators to maximize impact. Former reality TV star Clayton Echard (@claytonechard), nominated by AFSP’s Arizona and California chapters, became a Lifesaver Ambassador and created content for Giving Season, MHAM, and Men’s Health Month. His top-performing TikTok about Giving Season received more than 1 million views, supported by a targeted paid media campaign during the holidays.
AFSP also partnered with prominent creator, podcaster and television host Tefi Pessoa (@hellotefi), who produced content for Giving Season and MHAM, using her platform to foster candid conversations about mental health. Her top-performing Instagram Reel for MHAM generated 76,500 views and strong engagement.
As the program matures, AFSP is expanding to deepen engagement beyond awareness, including:
Increasing the number of influencers involved in MHAM, making it the program’s largest and most visible tentpole moment to date.
Facilitating a GoFundMe fundraising competition among Lifesaver Ambassadors, encouraging them to mobilize their communities in support of AFSP.
Supporting Lifesaver Ambassadors like Dr. Amaya (@dineaesthetics) and Tefi to attend AFSP’s events like the Chapter Leadership Conference to give influencers and followers alike a look at AFSP’s work and leadership.
Collaborating with creators on blog content focused on their specific mental health passion areas, extending reach beyond social posts into more in-depth content.
The program continues to grow in scale, reach, and relevance. AFSP has also worked with creator Rod Thill (@justme.rod) and influencer Chris Olsen (@chrisolsen), integrating AFSP’s messaging into content that blends authenticity, relatability, and humor. AFSP also had author, speaker and artist Michell C. Clark (@michellcclark) host their 2026 Gala.
The Lifesaver Ambassadors program has successfully achieved its primary objective of amplifying mental health and suicide prevention messaging through a coordinated influencer collective, with the program continuing to grow.
Across participating influencers, the program has generated:
More than 2.1 million total impressions
Over 35,100 total engagements
An average engagement rate of 5.25%, surpassing typical nonprofit and cause-marketing benchmarks
Over 2 million video views
Beyond quantitative metrics, the program delivered significant qualitative impact. Creators and audiences engaged in open, often vulnerable conversations about mental health, suicide loss, lived experience, and seeking help. Comments showed increased understanding of warning signs, gratitude for shared resources, and individuals acknowledging that the content encouraged them to reach out for support.
