Kicking The Stigma started with a promise—a commitment from the Jim Irsay family to tackle the mental health crisis here in Indiana.

As owners of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay and his daughters have seen firsthand how many Hoosiers suffer in silence. They’ve received countless messages from fans in need, including many with limited access to treatment and no idea where to start. For the Irsays, this only confirmed what they already knew: that mental health is a matter of life and death for millions.

When people are desperate enough to call a football team for guidance, there’s clearly a larger problem at hand. But we realized this was an opportunity to change the narrative and remind the world that it takes courage to ask for help.

Since 2020, Kicking The Stigma has worked to raise awareness around mental health and combat the feelings of shame associated with mental illness. We created a space for athletes to advocate for vulnerability and launched a grant program to support nonprofits across the country. But most importantly, we’ve inspired hundreds of Hoosiers to speak up, share their story, and seek treatment for their mental health.

Kicking The Stigma has become a leading voice for mental health awareness in the sports community, but our role remains focused on facilitating and uplifting our partners across the country. We help shine a light on the important work being done in the mental health sector, while investing in research and services to support our neighbors in need.

As we continue to raise awareness around mental health disorders, we believe it’s critically important to promote evidence-based treatments, trusted by professionals in the field. We design our campaigns and programming in collaboration with nationally recognized experts, and all our donations go directly toward mental health nonprofits, research institutions, and other community partners working to tackle this crisis.