Kicking the Stigma News

The Indianapolis Colts and Kicking The Stigma today announced a statewide collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Indiana to provide free coffee cup sleeves to coffee shops across Indiana that promote mental health awareness.

The Colts were named a finalist for the prestigious honor for the second consecutive year. 

Continuing their advocacy for mental health, the Jim Irsay family and the Indianapolis Colts will invite fans to learn more about mental health and wellness during 2024 Mental Health Awareness Month this May.

Since 2021, Project Healthy Minds has been a founding partner organization of Kicking The Stigma. The two have collaborated on public service announcements, corporate training and galas.

The Indianapolis Colts today announced that Kicking The Stigma will donate $650,000 to One Mind, a leading national brain health nonprofit, to support three research and development initiatives, including the One Mind Rising Star Awards, One Mind Accelerator and One Mind at Work.

The Indianapolis Colts are dedicating their home game on Dec. 31 vs. the Las Vegas Raiders to highlighting Kicking The Stigma, their effort to be an example, convener and catalyst for strategic change in the mental health space by using the power of the Colts' platform to improve the lives of Hoosiers and beyond.

The Colts' digital and social media channels will not publish content between Thursday morning and Monday morning, and we encourage fans to take a break from social media and devices during the bye week, too. 

Funds raised from the Beyond the Sidelines Silent Auction will go toward Kicking the Stigma programming and Action Grants, which provide financial support to nonprofits and organizations that focus on the education, support, and advocacy of mental health. 

The Jim Irsay family, owners of the Indianapolis Colts, today announced $1.1 million in Kicking The Stigma Action Grants to 26 Indiana nonprofits and organizations that provide mental health treatment services or raise awareness about mental health. 

Kicking The Stigma, the Colts and Irsay family's mental health initiative, has committed over $24 million to expand awareness, treatment and research of mental health disorders. 

Through a Kicking The Stigma Action Grant, Riley Children's Be Happy program expanded to provide access to evidence-based treatments to children who previously were unable to receive it. 

The Irsay Institute opened in March at Indiana University in Bloomington. 

This op-ed originally appeared in the Indiana Business Journal. 

Continuing their advocacy for mental health, the Jim Irsay family and the Indianapolis Colts will invite fans to learn more about mental health and wellness during Mental Health Awareness Month 2023 in May.

The Irsay Institute opened in March at Indiana University in Bloomington. 

The Colts' digital and social media channels will not publish content between Tuesday afternoon and Monday morning, and we encourage fans to take a break from social media and devices during the bye week, too. 

The rookie tight end was close with the three members of the University of Virginia football team who lost their lives in a mass shooting on campus last month, and has felt strong support for his mental health from the Colts following the tragedy. 

Colts players and coaches will wear special Kicking The Stigma t-shirts during pregame warm-ups, and fans will see mental health messaging throughout tonight's game. 

Kicking The Stigma, the Colts and Irsay family to raise awareness about mental health disorders and remove the stigma often associated with these illnesses, has awarded $4.1 million in grants and committed more than $17 million to expanding mental health treatment, research and awareness. 

Fans can still bid on auction items and donate at Colts.com/KTS. 

"Beyond the Sidelines," a fundraiser to benefit Kicking The Stigma, will be held Sept. 23 at the Lucas Estate in Carmel. 

Indiana Youth Group's mental health counseling service is another effort from the 35-year-old organization to reduce suicide rates among LGBTQ youth. 

Nyheim Hines has had to balance the demands of being a successful NFL player with caring for his mother, Nannette Miller, who's battled muscular dystrophy for over a decade. 

More details on Beyond the Sidelines – including the evening lineup, entertainment, auction items and other opportunities – will be announced in the upcoming weeks and months.

Mental Health Action Day is Thursday, May 19. Check out a list of ways to support the mental health of yourself and those around you below. 

The Colts have had clinician Elizabeth White on staff since 2015, and recently began offering employees free mental health services through an Employee Assistance Program.  

The Cobain family hoped to find a charity supporting mental health to benefit from the auction, and were drawn to Kicking The Stigma's mission and accomplishments in the mental health space. 

Fans can get a Kicking The Stigma shirt with a $35 donation supporting Kicking The Stigma Action Grants. 

Look back at all videos and social posts from the Indianapolis Colts first Kicking The Stigma Week fundraiser

Kicking The Stigma week begins Monday with a powerful discussion between star NFL players, including the Colts' Darius Leonard, about mental health with host Carson Daly. 

Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay joined Jeffrey Gorman on the Colts Official Podcast this week for an insightful 40-minute chat. Here are some of the top takeaways from the episode, which you can listen listen to on the Colts app, Colts.com or wherever you get your podcasts. 

New "Kicking The Stigma" public service announcement launched both locally and nationally

The Irsay family wants to change how mental health is discussed and supported with their Kicking The Stigma initiative, which will feature a virtual fundraiser May 3-6.

Carson Daly, Cameron Crowe, Mike Epps, Rob Lowe, Darius Leonard, Peyton Manning & Tony Dungy to lend voices during May 3-6 event

A :60 public service announcement for "Kicking The Stigma" was created in cooperation with the band R.E.M. using their song "Everybody Hurts." The goal is to bring the message to a national audience through placement on CNN, Fox News and The NFL Network as well as being shown locally in Indianapolis.