Innerforce partners with AFSP to increase awareness on athletes’ mental health

February 2, 2021

Innerforce, the leading brand of custom apparel, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) today announced a partnership to work side-by-side on increasing awareness in the sports industry about the importance of athletes’ mental health. They’ll be running a year-long fundraising effort to support the work of the foundation.

Team Innerforce, the brand’s team of brand ambassadors, will play a fundamental role in fundraising through 2021. Each athlete will raise a minimum of $1,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. That funding will go towards increasing awareness and helping those in need regarding mental health and suicide prevention.

This partnership comes at a time in which both the brand and the team have witnessed a significant evolution embodied in their claim: “through us, for others”. A shift from the pursuit of individual sport goals, to embodying the transformational capacity of achieving one’s goals and transferring such power to others along the way.

To ‘always perform at our best’ might be an underlying message from within the sports industry. For some, it can turn into an uncontrollable pressure that can lead to mental illness. As pointed out by Jennifer Chadwick, founding member of Team Innerforce since 2019, “over the past couple of years, there have even been pro triathletes and cyclists who pull off the circuit to reframe their mental state.”.

Jennifer, an advocate for opening up and talking about mental health, firmly believes that being aware of the symptoms and knowing how to help is key to saving a person’s life. Sports has been part of who she is for quite some time and – although she’s been through rough non-sport related moments – having triathlon, cycling and other sports gave her a goal. This was everything she needed to stay motivated. “Having a mentor, captain, teammate or even a coach that knows your struggle is key so that they can help pull you from the depths and get you back on your feet if you just don’t have it in you. Cycling saved my life. Being part of a team keeps me going”. It was her own personal experience and leadership that led the team to partner with AFSP.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, every 40 seconds a person around the world takes her or his own life. “Especially now, people may be struggling more due to the pandemic. There is no rest when it comes to helping someone.” stated Chadwick. “Without awareness people who are struggling are truly on their own, whereas with awareness there are outlets, there is compassion, there is help.”

The brand will host workshops and talks together with sharing vital information on their socials. Innerforce aims to provide a safe space for people to grasp hope and give mental health the importance it deserves.

Donations will be received year round through different activities through a dedicated landing page.

About AFSP

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education, and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death. Their mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies:

• Funding scientific research.
• Educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention.
• Advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention.
• Supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide in our mission.

AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide.

Read more at https://afsp.org/.

About Innerforce

Founded in 2018 in Miami, Florida, Innerforce is an American brand with a global presence that delivers high-quality technical athletic gear with no minimums focused on triathlon, cycling, running, and swimming. The brand takes the offering of custom and technical athletic equipment as a bridge to connect with passionate people who genuinely believe in sports’ power to change the world.

Know more at https://www.innerforce.com

About Team Innerforce

The Team is a group of people with whom the brand shares a vision and values. The team provides a platform for athletes to tap into their potential and positively influence others along the way.

For any questions, please contact Marina Carvalho (Marketing & Communication Assistant at Innerforce), marina@innerforce.com, or visit Innerforce at  www.innerforce.com and on their social networks: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.