Avery Wilson

After experiencing the loss of her friend, Robbie, Avery and her community started Robbie’s Hope, which gives teens a safe space to speak to other teens, takes their minds off stressors, and allows them to share their experiences to help others. She helped the organization successfully launch their first annual Robbie’s Hope Gala, raising money to support all of their projects. The organization is campaigning for the state legislature to be more conscious of mental health by advocating for a bill that would consider mental health as a valid reason to miss school. They have also published a handbook, A Guide by Teens on How to Talk to Teens, and are constantly growing through their new Ambassador program and the ever-expanding Hope Groups. Now, as the three-year anniversary of Robbie’s passing approaches, Robbie’s Hope continues to fight to end the stigma of teen mental illness and strives to cut teen suicide rates in half by 2028.