The Will To Live® Foundation: 

Our Life Teammates Impact

Founded: October 2010
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) public charity

  • Total Raised:
    Over $3,000,000 through fundraising events (e.g., WILLSTOCK®, Where There’s A Will There’s A Way 5k), generous donations, and over 500 speeches and presentations nationwide.

  • Impact on Schools:
    Funded the Signs of Suicide® (SOS) Program for over 3,000 high schools and middle schools across the U.S.—including every public school in Fulton County and Cobb County, and many in Forsyth County (Atlanta, GA).
    Positively affected over 1,000,000 students.

  • Community Outreach:
    Distributed 50,000+ Life Teammate® wrist bands and stickers to kids, families, teams, youth groups, scouting groups, bands, and fine arts organizations across America.

  • Scholarships:
    Awarded over $300,000 in Life Teammates Scholarships to 280+ high school seniors, voted on by their peers.

  • Recognition:
    Honored with the Presidential Point of Light Award and recognized by major media outlets (CNN, CBS, ABC, Fox Sports, Boston Red Sox, Big Ten Network, AJC, Boston Globe, and more).
    Co-Founder John Trautwein received Northwestern University Athletics’ “The One Life Touched, One Generation Changed Award” in 2024 for work with Will To Live.

  • Speeches & Presentations:
    Delivered 500+ presentations to kids, teams, schools (elementary through college), parents, coaches, teachers, youth groups, corporations, politicians, and churches.

  • Sports Sponsorships:
    Sponsored Team Will To Live lacrosse, baseball, and soccer teams, as well as games and tournaments in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, New Hampshire, Florida, and Philadelphia.

  • Club Will To Live Program:
    Created for middle & high schools and colleges, giving kids a platform to support each other and openly discuss mental health—emphasizing “It’s OK to not be OK!”

 

Mission Statement

We’re committed to raising the awareness of teen suicide and mental illness by building a culture of Life Teammates®—where teens recognize the power they have to deliver hope, love, and understanding to each other.

Together, we are not just raising awareness, we are rewriting the narrative to make it ‘More than Okay to not be Okay’ – helping our kids talk about it, support each other, and improve their Will To Live - it’s powerful! 

 We achieve our mission by creating and supporting initiatives that are:

- Raising Awareness 
-of teen suicide in our communities

- Increasing Education 
-of mental illness like depression & it's stigma

- Delivering Hope 
-to teens everywhere through Life Teammates

 

Contact & More Info