Our mission is to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and resources. We are working to confront mental health challenges in rural communities and the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

As the year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made together in providing information and resources to improve mental health for people living in rural communities across the country. I am filled with gratitude this holiday season for our partners, donors, volunteers, and team members who continue to make a difference in the lives of those in rural America who are navigating mental health challenges.

At Rural Minds, we remain committed to creating a community of hope, kindness, and connection, where everyone has access to the mental health information they need. Your contributions – whether through donations, time, or spreading awareness – have truly made an impact, and for that, we are sincerely thankful.

I invite you to click here to see how Rural Minds is Harvesting Hope – not only during this holiday season, but all year long.

As we look toward 2025, we are hopeful and grateful for your ongoing partnership. Through Rural Minds we are working together to eliminate the silence, suffering, and stigma that surround mental illness in rural America.

With gratitude and warm wishes for a joyful holiday season,

Join Us in Harvesting Hope this Holiday Season

This holiday season, give the gift of access to free mental health information and resources for people in rural communities to increase understanding and decrease the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Together, we can improve – and potentially save – the lives of people struggling with mental health challenges across rural America.

Click here to learn how you can help Rural Minds in Harvesting Hope this holiday season by making a donation today. And thanks to a generous matching gift from an anonymous donor, all donations made to Rural Minds through December 31 will be doubled (up to $10,000).

Collaboration is key for Rural Minds in our work to confront the mental health challenges in rural America and eliminate the stigma, suffering, and silence that surround mental illness. That’s why we’ve created this feature for our newsletter – Partners in the Spotlight – where we take a moment to recognize organizations that collaborate with us as valued members of the Rural Minds Partnership Council.



In this issue, we highlight the American Soybean Association.



The American Soybean Association (ASA) represents U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international policy issues important to the soybean industry. ASA has 26 affiliated state soybean associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and more than 500,000 U.S. soybean farmers. 

For more than 100 years, the American Soybean Association has met the demands of a growing world. The American soybean farmer has a tremendous opportunity to answer the call of agricultural needs across the globe. 

A primary focus of the American Soybean Association is policy development and implementation. Policy development starts with the farmers/members and culminates at the annual meeting of voting delegates. 

ASA is tasked with accomplishing the policy goals established by the farmers/members/delegates. ASA does this by testifying before Congress, lobbying Congress and the Administration, contacting members, communicating to relevant audiences, and meeting with the media. This legislative process cannot happen without member input and support.

In 2020, ASA launched the #SoyHelp program to offer emotional well-being resources across the soy states and – in line with the mission of Rural Minds – to combat the stigma surrounding open discussions on mental health in rural communities.

For more information, visit https://soygrowers.com.

Rural Minds & Pfizer Partner on a Holiday Campaign Aimed at Rural Americans: How to Manage Mental Health Challenges During the Holidays

The holidays can be a joyful time of celebrating with family and friends. But they can also bring added responsibilities, expectations, and stress, which can be overwhelming for individuals already struggling with mental health challenges. And for people living in rural America, these challenges can be even greater. That’s what prompted Rural Minds and Pfizer to partner on a holiday media campaign to provide information to help people in rural communities manage mental health challenges during this season. 

To reach people who live in rural America, both Jeff Winton and Nikki Schaffer, director of occupational health and wellness at Pfizer, are participating in interviews about managing holiday stress with a number of radio stations and podcasts, including the nationally-syndicated talk show Agriculture of America, WCCI-FM in Illinois and Iowa, WAMV-AM in Virginia, Mid-America Ag Network in Kansas, WNZF-FM in Florida, and the Mister K and Company Podcast.

To learn about holiday stressors that can impact your mental health and for 10 tips to manage your mental health during the holidays:

Cultivating the Positive Power of Gratitude

What are you thankful for? It’s a question that often comes up at this time of year. While celebrating gratitude during the holidays is a heart-warming tradition that can boost your spirits, practicing gratitude regularly can benefit your physical and mental health throughout the year.

Click below to read a blog written for the National Farmer Mental Health Alliance by Rural Minds Content Development Lead Karen McDermott about how to cultivate gratitude in your daily life.

Here are some highlights of the events that featured Rural Minds over the last few weeks to help raise awareness of rural mental health challenges and provide actionable information and resources for confronting the mental health crisis in rural America.

On October 21, Rural Minds Executive Director Chuck Strand participated in the National Organization for Rare Disorders Summit Roundtable: Rural Needs in Rare Disease.

On October 22, Rural Minds Vice President of Communications Julie Lux was a panelist on a Mental Health America webinar – “Supporting Youth Mental Health in Rural Communities.”

On October 27, Jeff gave a presentation at the 152nd Annual Session of the New York State Grange in Oswego, NY.

On October 29, Jeff participated in the American Brain Coalition 2024 Mental Health Innovation Summit: Disparities to Parity. Click here to watch the recording.

On November 4, Rural Minds Program & Communications Manager Patrick Fannon gave a presentation at the Ringoes Grange No. 12 in Ringoes, NJ.

From November 14 - 16, Chuck represented Rural Minds at the Annual National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, IA. In the photo, Chuck is at the Rural Minds’ table display with the Grange’s Legislative Director Burton Eller. Rural Minds also hosted a workshop at the convention to launch development of the Rural Teen & Young Adult Mental Health Peer-to-Peer Support pilot program. In addition to Chuck, participants included Rural Minds Social Media & Technology Manager Adriel McMahan, National Grange members Asheton Medlin and Ashley Holloman serving on the program advisory committee, and Grange convention attendees.

On November 17, Jeff attended a Buffalo Bills watch party hosted by the Mayville/Chautauqua Lions Club. Held at the Mayville VFW Post 8647 in Mayville, NY, the event featured a raffle benefitting Rural Minds that included autographed items from the Buffalo Bills. In the photo with Jeff is Marie Duke, who organized and promoted the event.

Calling all rural faith leaders – share your insights on the mental health needs of your community in this survey. Rural Minds and our partners at Anxiety and Depression Association of America have developed a short survey to gauge the tools and resources that would help faith leaders support their community.

Click on the links below for some of the latest media coverage of Rural Minds:

Agriculture of America – Interview with Jeff Winton and Dr. Nikki Shaffer, Director of Occupational Health and Wellness at Pfizer: How to Manage Mental Health Challenges during the Holidays

Chautauqua Sunrise with Doc Hamels – Interview with Jeff Winton and NY FarmNet Family Counselor Christina Marsh 

American Association of Bovine Practitioners Newsletter – Free Suicide Prevention Course Available for Rural Veterinarians, Farm Workers

The Post-Journal – Local Nonprofit to Host Postpartum Depression Webinar



Be sure to visit the “Rural Minds in the News” webpage to see additional media coverage of Rural Minds that helps increase awareness about mental health challenges in rural America and the stigma surrounding mental illness.

www.RuralMinds.org

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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Rural Minds is the only national nonprofit focused solely on providing the 46 million people in rural America with free information and resources to confront rural mental health challenges and the stigma that surrounds mental illness.