Generation S.O.S. is a nonprofit organization that brings critically important peer-to-peer mental health support to teens and young adults at middle schools, high schools, colleges, places of worship, and community organizations nationwide.
I had this vision that I could do everything.
Having a routine really changed my life.
I just need to be able to ask for help.
You don't have to put pressure on yourself.
I have so much time in the day now because I'm not hungover or drunk.
My drinking and drug use continued to get worse.
We had one thing in common — we all knew someone who was struggling with addiction and overdosed. We were terrified we could be next.
Generation S.O.S. was born several years ago in New York City. Six high school students died of accidental overdoses within a few weeks. The schools’ lack of response was shocking, a sad example of the shame and stigma surrounding addiction and overdose.
A group of high school students met to talk honestly about the drug epidemic that was devastating their world. They urgently needed help navigating this crisis. Society had failed them, so they turned to each other and started the conversation.
I found Generation S.O.S. through a friend and wished it existed when I was younger. It might have spared me the years of pain and suffering.
Generation S.O.S. invites a young adult speaker to share his or her addiction and recovery story at our meetings. Their stories are raw; their anxiety and loneliness familiar. Substance misuse has damaged everything in this young life. Yet, each speaker’s story is one of courage and hope.
Their message is simple and powerful: “We all feel anxious and isolated from time-to-time. Talk to a friend, get help if you’re struggling. But don’t make the same mistake I did.”
I mean it when I say that your speakers have reached our students in ways that no other program speakers ever have. It's important work, what you're doing. Thank you!
Dean of Students, New York City School
We are losing hundreds of teens and young adults to suicide and drug overdoses every single day. Students desperately need to talk about their mental well-being and learn how to navigate their stress and anxiety. Generation S.O.S. creates a safe space for teens to connect peer-to-peer for an honest conversation about mental health, the risks of substance misuse, learning coping skills, and making life-saving choices.
We are deeply committed to cost-effective and lifesaving work — we can reach a student in person with our message of hope and help for just $10. That commitment has resulted in the highest achievement from independent nonprofit rating associations — an achievement less than 1% of all nonprofits accomplish.
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Generation S.O.S.
PO Box 780057
Maspeth, NY 11378
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If you would like to contact us directly, please email: info@GenerationSOS.org
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Generation S.O.S. is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
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Generation S.O.S. is proud to be the recipient of the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency and Charity Navigator’s 4-star, 100% rating – leading symbols of non-profit transparency and accountability.
