A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression
Effective school-based teen depression awareness programs promoting conversations, help-seeking and empowerment — at no cost, ever.
We give educators the tools to create meaningful discussions about depression
Adolescent depression lives in the shadows. Young people facing it feel isolated and dangerously alone. We help schools create hopeful dialogue so students can talk to each other, to their parents, to their teachers, and to counselors.
Classroom Programs
Our free, easy-to-use and accessible programs put the student at the center, talking to them in a language they understand.
Educator Support
As a school partner, we can work with you to make the most of the Erika’s Lighthouse programs and help you customize the programs for your school.
Teen Empowerment
We believe teens will change our world when given the right tools. We’ll help you set up peer-led campaigns, fundraisers and Teen Clubs in your school.
Recent Blog Posts
Teaching Mindfulness: from a high school teacher’s perspective
This year, probably one of the most challenging ones in my 20+ year career, has been all about shifting, pivoting, and adapting everything we know about education to present lessons on a screen. Our mission as educators has been to provide high-quality learning...
How to support CPS students worried about going back to school
Chicago Public Schools is reopening classrooms for kindergarten through fifth grade Monday. Giving students a sense of transparency and protection is essential to smoothing this transition, mental health experts say. Some Chicago Public Schools students are counting...
How one school is coping with mental health: Social workers delivering technology, food and counseling to kids at home, and open office hours all day — even when school is out
Several times a week, Ericka Santiago-Diaz can be found driving around her low-income, underserved school community in New Jersey’s Asbury Park with bags of school supplies, replacement technology, food and donated clothing in the back seat to deliver to students. At...
Erika's Lighthouse Programs Are Near You
Our evidence-informed, depression awareness education programs are spreading around the world. See if a school or organization near you is utilizing Erika's Lighthouse Classroom Programs.
This School Year's Impact
Since August 2020
Countries
States
Schools Served
Teens Impacted
Teens Impacted Since 2004
We provide teens and parents with a message that instills hope and resources to find help
Parents
Learn how to recognize the signs of depression in your child. See if our programs are right for your school or community.
Teens
Learn about depression and take charge of your mental health. Together, we can Get Depression Out of the Dark.
Teen Depression Toolbox
Worrying that you or someone you love has depression can be overwhelming. You are not alone. Hope and help are possible and it all starts with a little education.
From Tragedy, Hope
Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression was founded in 2004 by Virginia and Thomas Neuckranz after their daughter Erika lost her life to depression. In order to avoid another loss in the community, they founded Erika’s Lighthouse with the goal of creating educational materials to Get Depression Out of the Dark.
With help from the community, and from donors nationwide, we’ve grown and expanded our mission across the country. We know that working together, we can save lives.
Our school has partnered with Erika’s Lighthouse for several years, and I am always impressed with the quality of materials that they produce. Talking about depression can make both teachers and students uncomfortable, but the Erika’s Lighthouse programs are designed to decrease the negative attitudes of depression. The programs provide an opportunity for conversations about how students can contribute to a positive mental health culture in their school and community.
Our Partnerships
Strategic Partners
Erika’s Lighthouse is part of this unique collaboration of organizations committed to raising awareness of depression and preventing suicide among young people.
Erika’s Lighthouse, along with our partners at Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), are developing an upper-elementary program. This initiative is generously supported by the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation.
In collaboration with the Anna Freud Centre For Children and Families, Erika’s Lighthouse has created “We All Have Mental Health: A Program for Middle & High School Remote Learners” so that schools can continue to deliver depression education and lessons on good mental health, even when teaching in distance learning environments.
Program Partners
Remembering T.J. has been a program partner for many years. Based in New Jersey, this program provides students, parents and educators a view of how teen depression can look like and incorporates the Erika’s Lighthouse resources.
Based in Virginia, the Sarah Michelle Peterson Foundation teaches school communities about suicide prevention and also shares the Erika’s Lighthouse lessons so that more students can be impacted by our depression education curriculum.
Donate to Erika’s Lighthouse
Your donation helps us provide school programs free of charge to Get Depression Out of the Dark.