Send Silence Packing® Interest Guide

applications now being accepted

Interested in bringing the Send Silence Packing display to your community?

Each year, Send Silence Packing visits 60-80 schools and communities, typically with a focus on the eastern half of the U.S. in the fall and the western half of the nation in the spring.

About the application process

Please note that submitting an application to host Send Silence Packing does not guarantee you a spot on an upcoming tour. The application allows Active Minds the opportunity to learn more about your campus or community as a potential host site.

When reviewing applications, we determine which communities are best prepared and situated to maximize the impact of the program.

If you’re interested in hosting the program, here’s how to get started:

1. Talk to your community about its mental health needs–Begin an open conversation with community members and trusted professionals to discuss your mental health goals. Do your research on our website, read our FAQ Section and determine whether SSP is a good fit for your community.
2. Get in touch with the Send Silence Packing® team–Submit an application 4-6 months before your ideal event date. The team will send an email confirming receipt of your application. If you are selected as a priority candidate for the upcoming tour, we will reach out with additional information and an offer to connect further.
3. Begin the booking process–Discuss a timeline for hosting, secure funds, convene a team of hosts to delegate roles and responsibilities, complete our community needs assessment to outline goals, and execute the contract.

During the period of planning and booking, the team will review the new version of the program (or, as we affectionately call it, “SSP 2.0”). The SSP team took some dedicated time off from touring in early 2023 to reimagine the program post-pandemic in alignment with our new Active Minds Theory of Change. After considering feedback over the course of years from hosts, students, and communities alike, we landed on an approach that offers more of a wraparound experience from start to finish as well as a multi-part exhibit the day of the event. These updates have been researched and vetted and are in alignment with current suicide prevention best practices to ensure program safety and integrity. We are excited to bring them to your community and witness the change it will make!

Here are the core pieces of the exhibit that you can expect the day of the event:

1. The SSP Story Labyrinth–A focal point of the exhibit, here you will find 100 stories affixed to 100 backpacks attached to eye-level T-Stands laid out in a circular shape to encourage movement, reflection, and engagement.
2. Behind the Backpacks Theater–An immersive and sensory oriented virtual experience that allows participants to hear directly from the storytellers inside our pop-up theater.
3. Resource Tent–Our learning hub to support your next steps as you wrap up the experience. A mental health professional will be available to answer questions and point you toward services.
4. The Hope Wall–As the final piece of the exhibit, we encourage you to jot down a response to our thought-provoking prompt: “What would you say to someone you know is struggling?”

This “wraparound” model we’ve adopted ensures deeper collaboration with your team from start to finish to make Send Silence Packing less like a one-day event and more like a long-term commitment for lasting impact. From a community needs assessment (Q&A style interview) conducted with you and your team, to a menu of options and suggestions provided in response to your goals for pre and post event opportunities, to a free volunteer and V-A-R training ahead of your event, to a one year impact report to illustrate progress made, we will strive to make your community people feel seen, heard, and supported in their mental health journeys.

If you wish to proceed with the confirmation and contracting process, please consider the following steps:

1. Convene a team of around 5 peers, colleagues, or community members who will serve in varied roles to ensure that the program is a success! This may include (but is not limited to, as you know your organization best) a contract/funding specialist, marketing expert, mental health professional, student leader/champion, volunteer captain, and general liaison between Active Minds National and your organization.
2. Appropriate funding for the program and confirm that all funds are available and secured. The total cost for SSP is $7,500. If you believe there is a demonstrated need for funding to cover the cost of SSP, please feel welcome to explore and apply for our Active Minds Program Fund. We are here to support you in accessing the life-changing experiences we offer.
3. Communicate your plans to book Send Silence Packing with the business, finance, or legal office at your organization and create a plan to execute the contract. Once you are prepared to book the event, Active Minds will send our official agreement to be reviewed and signed. We will work with your contracting specialist to amend and complete the agreement so all parties are satisfied and aligned on expectations.
4. Identify an outdoor and indoor space (in case of inclement weather) to host the main event. The SSP exhibit is typically held on a weekday (Monday-Friday) from 9am to 4pm, with 1.5 hours added on both ends to allow ample time for set up and breakdown. This means that volunteer start time begins at 7:30am and concludes at 5:30 pm.
5. Craft a plan to recruit and retain 25 volunteers. *PLEASE NOTE* that 25 volunteers (with 10-12 people on deck for set up and tear down) is part of your contractual obligation to Active Minds when booking SSP. This is a host responsibility that we take seriously and expect is provided to ensure our hardworking Exhibit Coordinators have the people power and support they need for equipment care and management. Organized volunteer shifts throughout the day are also critical for participant engagement and program success.
6. Select a date! During your first meeting with the SSP team, we will discuss which tour you are eligible for and prospective dates you may host the event. Timing depends on our tour calendar and when we will be passing through your region. After convening the call and mapping out the above five steps, please let the team know ASAP about which date you select so we can place a temporary hold on our tour calendar. Your spot will be held for one week unless otherwise arranged.