His Story Matters And So Does Yours

Matt Harbin Mattered

To his proud parents, loving brothers and a community of friends. He was both a role model and a beacon of light to everyone he met.

In 2018, Matt lost his life to a mental health battle. His absence is deeply felt, yet his life continues to inspire something bigger.

Join a growing movement inspired by Matt’s life and legacy, rooted in hope, connection and mental health awareness. Because talking about mental health doesn’t have to be heavy to be meaningful.

About the
Matt Harbin Foundation

Matt lifted others up. After losing him far too soon, his family created the Matt Harbin Foundation to break stigma, expand education, and empower people to support one another through life’s challenges.

We believe research matters. Education saves lives. Connection builds resilience. Communities grow stronger when everyone feels included and when asking for help feels normal.

The Foundation fosters openness, hope and healing. It reminds you and your loved ones that you matter, that people care and that support is available.

Why We Exist

We exist to help end the mental health crisis through research, education and empowerment.

Our vision is simple: connected communities where each person is included, understood and given every opportunity to grow into the best version of themselves.

That future starts with a conversation, taking an interest in someone’s wellbeing and, sometimes, simply showing up.

How We Do The Work

We partner with schools and communities to bring a flexible suite of mental health programs directly to the people who need them most.

Schools choose the programs that best fit their students. We help implement them and often subsidize costs to reduce barriers to access, because support should be available to everyone, not just those with resources.

Some of the programs we support include:

Thriveway / Peer Helpers Plus
Shifting Resiliency in Classrooms Study (Dr. Lauren Gulbas)
Question Persuade Refer (QPR) Training

Of course, our program offerings vary by community and evolve as research and needs change.

Matt’s Legacy Lives On

“Matt always had a brand-new idea he wanted to run past us… he was always grinding and trying to mold his life into what he wanted, which I always admired.”

Mike O.
"He was hard to put in a box even if you knew him… Matt’s drive was unmatched and completely contagious and still serves as an inspiration to my own ambitions."

Chris L.
“He told me once when he was working at Goldman Sachs that his coworkers nicknamed him the Terminator because he was always the first one in and the last one out…”

Landon L.