Unum Contributes $250K to Combat Youth Mental-Health Stigma

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 11, 2022) – Unum (NYSE:UNM) is contributing $250,000 to The Yellow Tulip Project (YTP), a youth-driven non-profit dedicated to smashing the stigma associated with mental and behavioral health. With Unum’s contribution, YTP will expand local efforts to combat the growing youth mental-health crisis.

“Unum’s generous donation allows us to continue providing outreach during a time when youth need it most,” stated Julia Hansen, YTP Co-Founder. “Suicide attempts have spiked over the course of the pandemic, especially in young girls. Our resources are preventative measures that show them mental awareness is not a stigma, and there is hope.”

Currently, YTP hosts an array of programming including a photo exhibit challenging mental illness perceptions and a network of 500 youth ambassadors across seven countries. The Unum contribution will strengthen YTP’s day-to-day operations over the next three-five years.

Unum employees in the U.S, Poland and Ireland planted nearly 13,000 tulip bulbs in support of YTP. The bulbs were planted in Hope Gardens, with the aim to smash stigmas around mental health and promote access to behavioral health resources. In addition, employees are writing messages of hope in journals designed for YTP youth and donating to the YTP’s Tails & Tulips event that educates people on the benefits animals play in mental wellbeing.

“Mental health is just as important as physical and financial health. This contribution to The Yellow Tulip Project will actively work to solve critical issues in our communities,” said Cary Olson Cartwright, assistant vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Unum. “Our focus on Healthier Communities allows us to fund innovative and action-oriented health and wellbeing programs that support behavioral and mental health.”