the starbucks foundation

When she first connected with Here Tomorrow last May, KT’s world felt heavy. She had been hospitalized at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville after experiencing a mental health crisis, and wasn’t sure what the next step would be.

On her second day there, a Here Tomorrow team member visited her. “He pulled me into a room and asked how I was doing. I said I was fine, and he called me out. He said, ‘You don’t have to be so professional with me. I’m here just to talk.’” That moment of honesty made KT feel seen in a way she hadn’t in a long time.

Finding the Right Support at the Right Time

Before leaving the hospital, she agreed to try Here Tomorrow’s program. She was introduced to Melissa M., her suicide prevention specialist, who would walk alongside her from Day 1 to Day 365. “She was someone I could say anything to. She had so much knowledge, and if I mentioned one little thing, she had a resource,” KT said.

They set goals together, starting with rebuilding her social circle after losing touch with friends. Melissa helped her brainstorm ways to connect with people in a way that supported her as an introvert. They talked through coping skills, worked on reading exercises when she felt overwhelmed, and developed a plan for her to join workout classes as a way to feel healthier and meet new people.

KT came to Here Tomorrow after learning that she has bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Dually diagnosed, she found comfort in her specialist, who has bipolar disorder and ADHD, herself. “Melissa helped me learn how to live with it. She didn’t judge. She just listened and supported me.”

Growing Stronger, One Step at a Time

Over the next year, KT began to see changes in her life. She was promoted at Starbucks, reconnected with old friends, and started to believe that hope was possible. “Melissa shared small things about her own struggles, and now she’s doing so well that she’s helping other people. That gives me hope that maybe someday I can do that too.”

In moments of overwhelm, Melissa was there to guide her through coping skills and grounding exercises. In moments of progress, she was there to celebrate. “I definitely know now that there are people who care, even when I feel like they don’t.”

Nominating Here Tomorrow for a Neighborhood Grant from The Starbucks Foundation

By the time KT reached her one-year milestone with Here Tomorrow, she wanted to give back. Through her job at Starbucks, she learned about The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grant program, which allows employees to nominate a local nonprofit organization for funding.

“The first thing I thought of was Here Tomorrow. I’ve been using their resources for almost a year, and I knew the money could help,” she said. During a meeting with other store managers in her district, she shared her story and encouraged them to vote for the organization.

Her nomination was among fewer than six percent selected for funding, resulting in a $1,000 grant for Here Tomorrow.

A Grant with Nationwide Impact

The grant is part of The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program, a partner-led initiative that has awarded more than 16,000 grants totaling over $25 million since 2019. In 2025, Here Tomorrow was one of just 3,200 organizations selected from more than 56,000 nominations across the U.S. and Canada.

“When I got the email that they got [the grant], I was super happy. I printed it out and put it up in my store. It just felt really good,” KT said. She also shared Here Tomorrow’s resources with her coworkers, knowing firsthand the difference they can make.

Inspiring Others to Reach Out

KT’s story has already made an impact beyond the grant. She has encouraged others to reach out for help and continues to speak about her experience to let people know they are not alone.

If someone asked her what Here Tomorrow is, she would describe it as “a suicide prevention nonprofit with plenty of resources for anyone who needs help with mental health.” But to her, it is more than that. It is the first place where she felt truly heard, the place that helped her start over, and the reason she is looking ahead with hope.

Support Here Tomorrow’s Mission

Thanks to KT’s voice and determination, Here Tomorrow has another resource to keep offering safety planning, goal-setting, and personalized suicide prevention support to others on their own recovery journeys. To learn more about Here Tomorrow or support our work, visit HereTomorrow.org.

The Starbucks Foundation

The Starbucks Foundation strengthens humanity by transforming lives across the world, with a focus on enabling community resiliency and prosperity and uplifting communities affected by disaster. Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law. Learn more at About Starbucks.

The check is in! The sold-out Ace the Stigma tennis tournament on June 6 raised $23,500 for Here Tomorrow. We’re so grateful to partner with Ace the Stigma on suicide prevention. Thanks as well to Florida Yacht Club for hosting and USTA Florida for promoting. Read more here- https://www.acethestigma.com/itn-jax-triples-event-2025

August 12, 2025

HERE TOMORROW HOSTS ECHO FAIR TO AMPLIFY WELLNESS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – Here Tomorrow, Greater Jacksonville’s go-to suicide prevention resource, hosts its inaugural ECHO Fair on Saturday, August 23 from 10 am to 1 pm at Jarboe Park (510 Florida Blvd. in Neptune Beach). ECHO stands for Expression, Connection & Healing Opportunity.

The ECHO Fair is free to the public and will connect attendees with Here Tomorrow, located across the street from Jarboe Park, as well as more than 40 other local resources. Among the participating organizations are treatment centers, clinical providers and nonprofits supporting teenagers, military, first responders, the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

The fair also features engaging speakers, delicious food trucks, and fun activities such as wellness toolboxes, playground scavenger hunts, community art pieces, and teen social media challenges.

“It truly takes a village to provide the care and support everyone deserves on their mental health journey,” says event organizer Maia Savage. “We hope the ECHO Fair shows our community members that they are not alone. There are so many people who are here for them!”

The Here Tomorrow ECHO Fair is sponsored by Sophros Recovery, Sulzbacher, Wekiva Springs Center, Winings Wellness, The Blessing Girl, Tony’s European Auto Service, Design Recovery, Vijapura Psychiatry, Jacksonville-Oceanside Rotary and Healing Hobbies.

Click here for more details about the Here Tomorrow ECHO Fair.

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Media Contact
Joshua Rumberger Rey: 786-554-5667, Joshua.Rey@heretomorrow.org
Interviews and Here Tomorrow Tour Opportunities are Available!

About Here Tomorrow
The mission of Here Tomorrow is to transform lives by building a community where suicide prevention is accessible without barriers. Since 2021, Here Tomorrow’s Certified Recovery Peer Specialists have supported 2,500+ individuals in crisis at no cost and with no wait. All Here Tomorrow services are no cost through an entire year for friends (those feeling hopeless or suicidal) and family (those concerned for a loved one). Here Tomorrow is open 365 days a year at 910 3rd Street in Neptune Beach. Peer support is also provided virtually and by phone at 904-372-9087.

We are excited to announce that Here Tomorrow has been awarded a Red Coats Community Grant from THE PLAYERS Championship. This generous support will bolster our military and first responder program. This grant will enable us to enhance our program and provide any necessary supplies. With this support, we aim to improve the lives of those we serve and provide valuable resources to our community. We look forward to sharing the positive impact of this grant and the progress it will help us achieve. Thank you, THE PLAYERS Championship, for your dedication to supporting our work!

May 12, 2025

DR. TERRIE ANDREWS JOINS SUICIDE-PREVENTION NONPROFIT HERE TOMORROW AS
PRESIDENT & CEO

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – Here Tomorrow, a first-of-its-kind suicide-prevention non-profit serving Greater Jacksonville, has welcomed Dr. Terrie Andrews as its President and CEO.

Dr. Andrews returns to the region after serving as Director of Walmart Health’s national behavioral health program. Prior to that, Dr. Andrews rose from an outpatient psychologist to Vice President of Behavioral Health during a 10-year career with Baptist Health.

After overseeing 500 providers, staff and nursing professionals at Baptist, Dr. Andrews will mentor Here Tomorrow’s team of 17 Certified Recovery Peer Specialists serving individuals experiencing hopelessness or suicidal ideation.

“It’s an honor to lead Here Tomorrow into its next chapter of impact,” says Dr. Andrews. “We’re focused on scaling our reach while staying rooted in our mission – building a community where every person feels they belong and can lead a life worth living.”

Dr. Andrews joins a team that has supported more than 2,400 friends (those feeling hopeless or suicidal) and family (those concerned for a loved one) at no cost and with no wait for an entire year. Dedicated programs at Here Tomorrow serve adults, teens, military and first responders, and are staffed by certified peers with lived experience in recovery from a mental health or substance use disorder.

While with Baptist, Dr. Andrews first engaged with the suicide-prevention organization that she now leads. Dr. Andrews piloted an initiative in 2022 to staff two Here Tomorrow certified peers inside the Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville adult inpatient behavioral health unit.

Within one year, Here Tomorrow peers offered emotional support to more than 500 Baptist patients, led support groups for more than 300 Baptist patients, and inspired 92 individuals in crisis to become Here Tomorrow friends. That collaboration continues with Dr. Andrews at Here Tomorrow’s helm.

“By combining immediate peer support with evidence-based care pathways, we’re breaking down barriers to mental health access and advancing the field of suicide prevention,” says Dr. Andrews.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Andrews. Please contact Joshua Rumberger Rey at 786-554-5667 for interview requests and Here Tomorrow tour opportunities (910 3rd Street in Neptune Beach).
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Media Contact
Joshua Rumberger Rey: 786-554-5667, Joshua.Rey@heretomorrow.org

About Here Tomorrow
The mission of Here Tomorrow is to transform lives by building a community where suicide prevention is accessible without barriers. Since 2021, Here Tomorrow’s Certified Recovery Peer Specialists have supported 2,400+ individuals in crisis at no cost and with no wait. All Here Tomorrow services are no cost through an entire year for friends (those feeling hopeless or suicidal) and family (those concerned for a loved one). Here Tomorrow is open 365 days a year at 910 3rd Street in Neptune Beach and 904-372-9087.

April 21, 2025

HERE TOMORROW GATHERS TO HONOR FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS, MILITARY ABOARD USS ORLECK

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – Suicide prevention nonprofit Here Tomorrow hosts its third-annual Gather to Honor memorial event aboard the USS Orleck on Saturday, April 26 from 11 am-1:30 pm.

Held each spring, Gather to Honor pays tribute to veterans, active-duty military and first responders who have died by suicide, as well as those recovering from hopeless or suicidal thoughts.

Veterans represented 6.2% of the U.S. adult population and 15.4% of U.S. adult suicides in 2022, based on the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. Likewise, the suicide rate among Florida first responders is more than twice that of working-age Floridians, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The Here Tomorrow military & first responder program launched in October 2022, serving more than 175 individuals who’ve served our country and community. Certified Recovery Peer Specialists at Here Tomorrow, who have lived experience overcoming suicidal ideation, are available to assist individuals in crisis 365 days a year, including this Saturday.

“Join us to honor the strength and resilience of our heroes – military, veterans, and first responders – who have faced the darkest battles and chosen to keep fighting,” says Here Tomorrow peer and ex-paramedic Jessi Garrison. “Your support shows them that they’re never alone.”

Gather to Honor speakers will include former Atlantic Beach Police Sergeant Brannon Hicks, who now manages the Here Tomorrow military & first responder program, as well as Sophros Recovery CEO Nick Padlo, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Media interviews will be conducted beginning Saturday at 10:15 am.

The USS Orleck is docked at 610 East Bay Street in Downtown Jacksonville. Attendees can enjoy a free lunch from Mission BBQ and a complimentary tour of the Jacksonville Naval Museum (Home of the USS Orleck).

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Media Contact

Mariel Acosta: 703-565-4464, Mariel.Acosta@heretomorrow.org

About Here Tomorrow

The mission of Here Tomorrow is to transform lives by building a community where suicide prevention is accessible without barriers. Here Tomorrow’s Certified Recovery Peer Specialists have supported more than 2,300 individuals in crisis at no cost and with no wait. All Here Tomorrow services are no cost through an entire year for friends (those feeling hopeless or suicidal) and family (those concerned for a loved one). Here Tomorrow is open 365 days a year at 910 3rd Street in Neptune Beach and 904-372-9087.

A special thank you to our friends at Popscapes, who have gifted us with two truly beautiful pieces, intentionally created for our Adult and Teen Programs. Their magazine article shares the story behind these creations, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you. We hope their magazine and art bring you as much joy as they do us! Read more here: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/2ed7b917a2.html#page/2

Here Tomorrow is hosting its first concert dedicated to sharing conversations that encourage vulnerability and remind us that it’s okay to not be okay. All proceeds will directly benefit the no-cost, year-long mental health support Here Tomorrow offers to individuals struggling with hopelessness or suicidal thoughts.

When: Saturday, February 22nd at 5PM
Where: Atlantic Theatres
751 Atlantic Boulevard
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

Purchase Tickets Today!

Learn More

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis announced a request for $3.6 million in funding to improve mental health care for Florida’s first responders, including firefighters, law enforcement, dispatchers, and Emergency Medical Services personnel. During the 2025 Legislative Session, the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) will work with lawmakers and stakeholders statewide to secure funding and develop a comprehensive mental health, peer support program, and psychological services to support Florida’s first responders.

Here Tomorrow Chair & Founder Joe Kenney said, “Every call first responders take has the potential to impact their mental health; it’s vital that resources are provided to help them cope. No one needs to suffer alone and thank you to CFO Patronis for stepping up for these heroes.”

Read more here: https://myfloridacfo.com/news/pressreleases/press-release-details/2025/01/06/cfo—state-fire-marshal-jimmy-patronis-requests–3.6-million-for-first-responders’-mental-health-support