As the year draws to a close, the true measure of our success at Healthtek isn't found in lines of code or technological innovations, but in the lives we touch and the communities we impact. This holiday season, we're proud to reflect on our commitment to service—a commitment that goes far beyond traditional business boundaries and reaches into the heart of human connection.
Our partnerships with remarkable nonprofit organizations have been a testament to how technology can be a powerful vehicle for compassion and change. With LivinFoundation.org and Hope, we've helped bridge those in need with support, ensuring that individuals with limited resources can access critical online services when they need it most. Through SmilesforJake.org, this initiative has supported mental health challenges for teenagers within schools, developing tech solutions that bring tools and support to children facing challenges while navigating their middle school and high school journeys. Our most recent partnership with Thumbs Up, spotlights awareness to mental health and provides support and resources to all age groups.
The collaborative work with 2BCONTINUED.org has been particularly inspiring, as we've developed innovative technological platforms to increase awareness of suicide prevention and mental health through advocacy, education, and outreach. Each project is a reminder that our expertise can be a conduit for meaningful social impact.
We're also excited to highlight our growing partnership with Forestr.org, a grassroots organization dedicated to cleaning and revitalizing communities across the country. Through community assistance, we're helping to beautify our neighborhoods by cleaning roadways, ramps, parks, and streets to restore efforts.
This season of giving reminds us that technology is more than just a tool—it's a bridge to understanding, a pathway to opportunity, and a means of expressing our shared humanity.
In this issue, we're going to have a look back where service impacted lives for the better and look forward to what's to come.
Happy Holidays,
Yon Hardisty
In this issue:
Upcoming Webinar:
S.M.I.L.E - A Comprehensive Approach to Teen Mental Wellness
The Unspoken Challenge:
When Words Are Hard - A Promise of Connection
Don't Miss!
Mindfulness Mondays
Shining a Light on
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month
Spotlight Article:
Healing a Broken Mental Health System
A Year of Shared Hope
Reflecting on 2024
Upcoming Webinar
S.M.I.L.E - A Comprehensive Approach to Teen Mental Wellness
Join us for an impactful webinar as Sarah Smith, Executive Director of Smiles for Jake, leads a critical conversation about teen mental health through their S.M.I.L.E. framework—Supporting, Mentoring, Inspiring Life in Everyone. Inspired by Jake Haapajoki's memory, we'll explore life-affirming strategies that recognize every teenager's inherent worth, providing educators and parents with essential tools to create supportive environments. Through our #wearealljake movement, we aim to transform grief into meaningful action, ensuring that every young person understands their smile matters, their struggles are valid, and hope is always possible.
Imagine being 16 and feeling like the entire world is too loud, too overwhelming, yet simultaneously completely silent around you. This is the reality for countless young people struggling with mental health challenges—invisible battles fought in bedrooms, classrooms, and quiet corners of their own minds.
At Healthtek, we don't see these challenges as problems to be solved. We see them as journeys to be understood.
The Unspoken Challenge
Every day, young people are navigating emotional life experiences more complex than any previous generation. Anxiety isn't just a word—it's a constant companion. Depression isn't just sadness—it's a weight that can feel impossible to lift. And the pressure? It's everywhere.
Don't believe me? Let's take a quick look at a few contributing factors...
Economic uncertainty
Social isolation
Chronic stress
Limited access to mental health resources
Untreated mental health conditions
Online bullying
School pressures
We're all more aware of life's challenges and in many areas, we're doing better. Suicide rates in 2024 dropped by .6% to 14.2 deaths per 100,000 population. While that doesn't seen like much, it's a start in the right direction. People in general are more aware of "mental health" issues than ever before. There is hope such as a growing public dialogue around mental health, an increased investment in mental health research, and a more compassionate, nuanced understanding of suicide as a complex health issue. The bottom line is that it's not cool to hold it all in anymore. We're removing the stigma and talking more about our health and wellness.
But one life lost is too many. We all have someone we know that has been impacted and the loss is completely devastating.
So, how do we see the signs of trouble?
Verbal Signs, Physical Sheltering, & Mood Swings
When it comes to understanding teenagers, think of it like being a detective of the heart. Sometimes kids send out signals that something might be going on inside—like when your normally chatty teen starts giving one-word answers or spends way more time behind a closed door. Listen for those moments when they talk about feeling "tired all the time" or seem extra down on themselves.
It's not just typical teenage moodiness when they start pulling away from friends, dropping hobbies they used to love, or seem like a totally different person from one day to the next. These aren't red flags to be scared of, but gentle nudges that say, "Hey, I might need some extra support right now."
The most powerful thing a parent, friend, colleague, or trusted adult can do is stay connected, keep conversations open, and remember that every teenager is navigating a wild, complicated journey of growing up. Your job isn't to fix everything, but to be a steady lighthouse—showing them they're loved, heard, and never alone, no matter what storms they might be sailing through.
A Direct Message to the Youth
To every teenager feeling overwhelmed, to every young person who thinks no one understands:
You matter.
Your mental health matters.
Your journey matters.
And we're here—not to fix you, because you're not broken—but to walk alongside you, to listen, to support, to help you rediscover your strength.
Our Commitment
Healthtek believes in our partners that are committed to improving the lives of teens and adults. This journey that we call life is never a straight line and for many, the twists and turns are extremely difficult. That's why we're developing technologies that don't just track mental health—they create genuine pathways of support:
Adaptive mental health platforms that feel like conversation, not assessment
Anonymous support networks that remove the stigma of asking for help
Creating wellness challenge technologies that helps to strengthen mental health
Early warning systems that connect at-risk youth with compassionate resources
Interfaces designed to make seeking help feel safe, not scary
Partnering with leading mental health non-profits to offer our tech
Our Promise
At Healthtek, we don't just develop technology. We nurture hope. We create connection. We listen—truly listen—to the silent stories carried in young hearts.
Because every young person deserves a future bright with possibility, supported by understanding, and filled with hope.
To get more details around our mission for 2025, learn more by visiting our website.
Join us at 4:00 P.M. PT for a Mindfulness Monday where we help individuals cultivate mindfulness, relaxation, and focus. It's free to join, and we encourage everyone to offer this opportunity to your clients.
December is here, bringing chilly weather, shorter days, and the holiday season. But for some, this time of year also brings feelings of sadness, low energy, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms may not just be 'winter blues.' They could be signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern. December, as Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month, is a perfect time to learn more about this condition and how to manage it.
Healing A Broken Mental Health System: Kaitlin Daeges Of LIVIN Foundation On 5 Things That Can Be Done To Fix Our Broken Mental Health System
More and more organizations are making mental health a priority and making it OK to have those conversations from the top down. That needs to continue and even expand. Businesses continue to have an appetite for these conversations and programs in the business space. Organizations simply need a partner to come alongside them as they navigate this.
As the year draws to a close, we find ourselves overwhelmed with gratitude. 2024 has been more than just a collection of months—it has been a testament to the incredible power of human connection, compassion, and collective purpose.
To our incredible partners—the nonprofits, healthcare providers, and community organizations who transform challenges into opportunities—we extend our deepest appreciation. LivinFoundation.org, SmilesforJake.org, 2BCONTINUED.org, ThumbsUpResources.org, and Forestr.org, you are more than collaborators. You are the heart of our mission.
The Real Heroes
This year, we've witnessed remarkable stories of resilience. We've seen technology become a bridge—connecting isolated communities, supporting children facing medical challenges, and bringing hope where it was most needed. But the true magic hasn't been in our software or platforms. It's been in the human stories behind each connection.
Our Collective Impact
Together, we've:
Brought healthcare resources to remote communities
Supported pediatric health initiatives
Developed technologies that restore dignity and opportunity
Cleaned and restored communities
Created pathways of support for those who felt unseen
Looking Ahead - A Promise of Continued Support
As we step into the new year, our commitment remains unwavering. We're not just a technology company. We're a group of passionate individuals who believe that every line of code, every digital connection, can be a lifeline of hope.
To our team, our partners, and the communities we serve: Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey. Thank you for reminding us that technology is most powerful when it serves humanity.
Here's to the connections we've made, the lives we've touched, and the hope we continue to build—together.
Yon Hardisty April 2025 Issue #12: America's Stress Epidemic: How To Push Back View on the web → In the quiet moments between notifications, beneath the hum of fluorescent lights and the soft tapping of keyboards, a silent epidemic thrives. Like water slowly eroding stone, chronic stress has become the invisible architect of America's workplace challenges—reshaping our bodies, minds, and productivity in ways both subtle and profound. As our devices blur the boundaries between professional and...
Yon Hardisty March 2025 Issue #11: The Hidden Health Effects of Seasonal Change View on the web → As March brings the first whispers of spring, our bodies are quietly adjusting to more than just warmer temperatures. The changing season affects everything from our sleep patterns to our immune systems, yet these shifts often go unnoticed until they manifest as unexpected fatigue, mood changes, or seasonal allergies. Research shows that our bodies maintain internal seasonal rhythms that evolved...
Yon Hardisty February 2025 Issue #10: How Government Changes Will Impact Healthcare View on the web → If you've been following the news lately, the President and his Department of Governmental Efficiency (or D.O.G.E) are currently taking a hatchet to government programs to reduce federal debt. No matter if you're for these changes or are against them, one thing is for certain; the government is about to dramatically reshape how Americans receive and administer their healthcare. Many programs,...