Jack.org

Eric Windeler, Founder and longtime Executive Director of Jack.org, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, surrounded by family. Our thoughts are with the Windeler family at this difficult time.

After the loss of his son Jack to su***de in 2010, Eric dedicated his life to youth mental health. He was a tireless advocate for change and firm believer that young people deserve a seat at the table. His work has changed the lives of countless young people across Canada, empowering them to understand mental health, seek support, be there for one another, and advocate for change.

His legacy lives on through the community of mental health advocates and champions he inspired to build a better world.

To hear more from our CEO and Board Chair on Eric’s enduring legacy, visit jack.org/legacyofhope.

You thought a little rain could stop a movement? Think again!

Hundreds of cyclists and walkers joined us in Caledon, Ontario on Saturday to Get in Motion for progress, showing young people across Canada the transformative power of community 💙

Our 17th annual Jack Ride brought together participants, volunteers, sponsors and supporters from across the GTA and beyond in support of a common goal: raising funds and awareness for Jack.org’s essential mental health program, to improve mental health outcomes for Canadian youth.

Together, we raised nearly $1 million (and counting)! An incredible accomplishment made possible by our dedicated jack fam 👏 🎊 🫂

To everyone who took part, we cannot thank you enough. Your support is changing the status quo for youth mental health, giving young people hope for a brighter tomorrow by ensuring they can access the support they need to be well.

While our in-person Ride is complete, our remote In Motion participants are still moving for change from coast to coast throughout the month of May. If you’d like to show your support, you can still donate to their efforts anytime til the end of the month!

Every dollar raised during Ride and our In Motion in May Challenge goes toward our life-saving mental health programs that provide youth with the education, practical skills and community-building opportunities to take care of themselves and their peers.

Wanna be a part of the change? Register to join us next year by visiting jack.org/ride2027

Enter to win 1 of 20 microgrants of $500 when you tell us about the support skills you learned by completing the Be There Certificate: A free, self-guided online course designed to give youth the tools to support themselves and their peers.

Submissions must be received by the end of May, so don’t delay!

Visit https://bit.ly/3OUEZta for more information.

Jack Ride happens in-person TOMORROW and you can support someone’s Ride today by donating jack.org/ride.

Every dollar donated helps our programs reach more youth across the country with life-saving education, community-building opportunities and practical skills to take care of their mental health and support others.

Donations will be accepted until the end of May 💙

Enter to win 1 of 20 microgrants of $500 when you tell us about the support skills you learned by completing the Be There Certificate: A free, self-guided online course designed to give youth the tools to support themselves and their peers.

Submissions must be received by the end of May, so don’t delay!

Visit https://bit.ly/3OUEZta more information.

📣 Jack Ride is just a day away! Join us in moving for youth mental health 📣

Tomorrow, hundreds of Riders will come together in Caledon, Ontario to support Jack.org's work to make sure no young person struggles with their mental health alone. It's an incredible day of healing, connection, and determination to make sure every young person has the mental health support they need.

🚴 Join us for a day of healing and change: jack.org/ride

Thank you to the Ride community for showing up for youth mental health year after year, and to the Caledon Citizen's Riley Murphy for shining a light on the event and the need for more support for young people.

Read the full article: https://caledoncitizen.com/get-in-motion-for-a-great-cause-jack-ride-returns-to-caledon-for-2026-event/

Get in Motion for a Great Cause: Jack Ride Returns to Caledon for 2026 event By Riley Murphy Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Jack Ride, an event that raises funds for critical mental health education and prevention programs, is returning to the Caledon East Community C…

It’s not too late to register to Ride with us tomorrow or join an existing Ride team.

Visit jack.org/ride to find out more. 💙

"During my undergraduate degree, a professor introduced me to a concept that genuinely shifted how I show up for the people I love. She explained that accommodating the symptoms of someone's mental illness, which means doing whatever they ask to keep the peace or avoid discomfort, can actually work against their recovery. For me, that landed hard. I had always believed that being a good support person meant doing everything in my power to give those I cared about what they asked for in difficult moments.

What I came to understand is that sometimes the most loving thing you can do is gently push someone forward rather than help them stay in the same place. That means having the uncomfortable conversations, the ones that feel hard, that might create tension, that might even strain the relationship for a while. That discomfort is not a sign that you have done something wrong. More often than not, it is a sign that something important is happening. The strain comes before the growth, and that is okay.

This realization changed not only how I support others, but how I think about mental health more broadly. That real care is not always comfortable, and that one honest conversation can matter more than a hundred easier ones."

-- Ashlinn Pennell, Jack.org Youth Voice Council

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This Mental Health Month, we're shining a light on the conversations that change lives. Because one moment of connection can make all the difference for someone struggling. Help make more conversations like this possible by donating at https://www.jack.org/campaigns/annual-giving.

We'd like to recognize our longtime supporters at the Ardene Foundation as they host their in-person Jack Ride in Laval, QC today!

Jack Ride is only as strong as the team behind it. It takes a village to make Canada’s biggest ride for youth mental health a success: Just like it takes a community to come together for better youth mental health. 💙

We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jack Ride sponsor, Ardene.

Without their support, Jack Ride would not be what it is today.

Join Ardene in supporting Ride by donating today at jack.org/ride