Our timeline

 

Abbey creates and distributes her first pamphlets

Abbey prints out over 3,000 pamphlets that she wrote and passed out to all students at West High School. The pamphlets had information on how to help a friend in crisis,

04/09/2021
 

I'm Glad You Stayed Project began

Abbey created the I'm Glad You Stayed Project in her bedroom after losing her friend, Dylan, to suicide.

04/16/2021
 

I'M GLAD YOU STAYED PROJECT becomes an official group

The IGYSP Board came together and help the first meeting with Abbey, Dottie, Micki, and Deann.

01/07/2022
 

IGYSP becomes an IOWA non-profit

01/10/2022
 

IGYSP Website Created

https://www.imgladyoustayedproject.org

01/17/2022
 

IGYSP becomes a federal 501c non-profit

02/25/2022
 

Owen Skelley Vigil

03/04/2022
 

KCRG interview with Abbey aired

https://www.kcrg.com/2022/03/12/iowa-city-woman-starts-project-prevent-suicide-among-teens/

03/12/2022
 

ICCSD Athletic Pancake Breakfast

03/26/2022
 

Distributed 3,520+bracelets & 2,521+ pamphlets to date

03/31/2022
 

West High School Mental Health Fair

04/15/2022
 

DAS Walk

Memorial Walk for Dylan Salge

04/16/2022
 

Big O Golf Outing

04/22/2022
 

DAILY IOWIAN article

04/24/2022
 

PRESS CITIZEN article

https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/education/k-12/2022/04/26/after-two-teen-deaths-iowa-city-group-pushes-awareness-suicide-mental-health-stigma/7235392001/

04/24/2022
 

NEDA Walk

04/30/2022
 

Linn County Community Event

04/30/2022
 

Distributed 6,029+ bracelets & 4,434+ pamphlets to date

04/30/2022
 

Liberty High School Dance Marathon

05/01/2022
 

First Christian Church Mindful Monday

05/02/2022
 

Burlington High School Suicide Prevention Event

05/06/2022
 

First Annual Choose to Stay Fundraiser IGYSP

05/14/2022
 

Strike Out the Stigma

Cedar Rapids

05/25/2022
 

Distributed 10,372+ bracelets & 6,158+ pamphlets to date

05/31/2022
 

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Abbey and Dottie become certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid

06/03/2022
 

5224 Good Board Meeting

06/08/2022
 

Crosstown Classic Fight With Flash Event

06/11/2022
 

Sent 1,000 IGYSP bracelets to an Australian High School!

Had our Just Keep Swimming bracelets custom made with the Australian emergency number embossed on them.

06/14/2022
 

Reached $16,000 in Donations

06/17/2022
 

Iowa City Pride Fest

06/18/2022
 

West Liberty High School Baseball & Softball Games

West Liberty High School Baseball & Softball players wore our IGYSP stickers on their batting helmets!

06/21/2022
 

Burlington Bees Mental Health Awareness Night

Burlington, Iowa Bees and Catfish players wore our IGYSP helmet stickers on their batting helmets!

06/25/2022
 

CEDAR COUNTY HEALTH & SAFETY FAIR

08/05/2022
 

OVER 20,000 BRACELETS & 10,000 PAMPHLETS DISTRIBUTED

08/06/2022
 

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY LISBON WELLNESS EVENT

08/18/2022
 

CEDAR VALLEY PRIDE FEST

08/27/2022
 

SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH

IGYSP handed out limited September CHOOSE TO STAY wristbands!

09/01/2022
 

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH

09/02/2022
 

WEST HIGH SCHOOL JV & VARSITY FOOTBALL GAMES

09/02/2022
 

KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL MENTAL HEALTH NIGHT

09/06/2022
 

WEST HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH

09/09/2022
 

KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1100 FLAGS EVENT- IOWA CITY

09/12/2022
 

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH

09/23/2022
 

TRENT MEMORIAL WALK - MT AYR, IA

09/24/2022
 

MARION HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL GAME

09/27/2022
 

CITY HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH

09/30/2022
 

OVER 36,000 WRISTBANDS & 18,000 PAMPHLETS DISTRIBUTED!

10/04/2022
 

NAMI CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL FOR MENTAL HEALTH

10/09/2022
 

ABBEY RECEIVES MENTAL HEALTH INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR STUDENT AWARD

THANK YOU Scanlan Center for School Mental Health!

10/11/2022
 

DISTRIBUTED 25,000 PAMPHLETS

10/15/2022
 

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH

SET UP RESOURCE TABLE DURING LUNCH

10/21/2022
 

DISTRIBUTED 40,000 WRISTBANDS

10/27/2022
 

AWARDED $10,000 GRANT

FROM THE 5224GOOD LEARNING & GIVING CIRCLE

11/16/2022
 

BIG O FOUNDATION "LET'S TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH"

SET UP RESOURCE TABLE

11/28/2022
 

AMBASSADOR QPR TRAINING

11/30/2022
 

REGINA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME

SET UP RESOURCE TABLE

12/13/2022
 

PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH

SET UP RESOURCE TABLE

12/15/2022
 

DISTRIBUTED 50,000 BRACELETS

12/19/2022
 

CITY HIGH SCHOOL VS LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

SET UP RESOURCE TABLE

01/20/2023
 

SURPASSED 55,000 WRISTBANDS DISTRIBUTED!

01/21/2023
 

PRESS COFFEE ROCK PAINTING

PAINTED ROCKS WITH IGYSP SAYINGS

01/26/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED 30,000 PAMPHLETS

01/31/2023
 

DOTTIE COMPLETED ASIST TRAINING

SUICIDE INTERVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM

02/03/2023
 

REGINA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME

02/03/2023
 

REACHED 100 AMBASSADORS

From 18 states!

02/05/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED OVER 60,000 BRACELETS

02/14/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED OVER 65,000 BRACELETS!

03/08/2023
 

VERNON MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME

02/27/2023
 

HSAA SWIM MEET

02/20/2023
 

NO LIBERTY LIBRARY MENTAL HEALTH NIGHT

02/21/2023
 

LOCAL AMBASADOR PAINTING EVENT

03/19/2023
 

REEL ABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL

SUICIDE- THE RIPPLE EFFECT MICKI SPOKE

03/22/2023
 

DISRIBUTED OVER 35,000 PAMPHLETS

03/24/2023
 

MENTAL HEALTH FAIR FOR ATHLETES- City High

03/28/2023
 

PANCAKE DAY ICCSD ATHLETICS

04/01/2023
 

REALITY CHECK; TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

04/15/2023
 

SOLON HIGH SCHOOL TRACK MEET

04/18/2023
 

YOU MATTER WALK- Kirkwood Community College

04/20/2023
 

OWEN SKELLEY MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING

04/21/2023
 

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY SPRINGVILLE FAIR

04/22/2023
 

ROTARY REGIONAL DISTRICT CONFERENCE

05/22/2023
 

KIRKWOOD JOB & RESOURCE FAIR

04/24/2023
 

PCM HIGH SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY DAY

04/28/2023
 

BURLINGTON COMMUNITY WALK TO FIGHT SUICIDE

04/28/2023
 

WEST BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL Lunch

05/01/2023
 

LIN-MAR HIGH SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS EVENT

05/02/2023
 

JOHNSON COUNTY GREAT GIVE DAY!

05/03/2023
 

LIVING UNDETERRED PROJECT MENTAL HEALTH EXPO

05/06/2023
 

KEEP MOVING FORWARD COMMUNITY RUN

05/07/2023
 

STRIKE OUT STIGMA

05/08/2023
 

TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT COE COLLEGE

05/12/2023
 

IOWA RUGBY COLLECTIVE GOLF TOURNAMENT

05/13/2023
 

Q.P.R. TRAINING North Liberty Library

05/18/2023
 

IA PEER SUPPORT SUMMIT

05/19/2023
 

MARSHALLTOWN HIGHSCHOOL LUNCH

05/23/2023
 

MARION VS LIBERTY GIRLS SOCCER

05/25/2023
 

Over 75,000 IGYSP Bracelets Distributed!

05/26/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED OVER 40,000 PAMPHLETS

06/08/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED 80,000 BRACELETS

08/10/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED 50,000 PAMPHLETS

10/04/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED OVER 94,000 BRACELETS

10/04/2023
 

DISTRIBUTED OVER 100,000 BRACELETS!

We are so thrilled to hit this bench mark! Working on 200,000!

10/10/2023
 

ABBEY & IGYSP RECEIVE INNOVATION IN EDUCATION AWARD 2024

04/24/2024
 

DISTRIBUTED OVER 150,000 BRACELETS

04/30/2024
 

FEBRUARY 2025 UPDATES

Trained 606 people in QPR Distributed 209,060 bracelets Distributed 93,732 pamphlets US Ambassadors 446 Canada Ambassadors 2 India Ambassadors 1

03/10/2025