I’m Matching Every Dollar for DeafLEAD!

Hey friends, fam, and internet acquaintances 👋🏼

A lot of you already know that DeafLEAD is a huge part of my life. What some people might not know is how this started. I signed up to volunteer for a college class requirement and thought I would do my hours, write a paper, and move on. That was nine years ago and my parents did not raise a quitter (except for baseball, basketball, theatre, the debate team, and some other stuff that is not nearly as important). 

DeafLEAD became the place where I learned what real access looks like. I saw how much it matters when people can communicate in the way that feels safest and most natural to them. I saw how many people, both Deaf and hearing, turn to us in moments when they feel completely overwhelmed. And somewhere along the way, this work stopped being a requirement for class and became a purpose for my life.

For CoMoGives this year, I am raising 1,000 dollars for DeafLEAD. I am also matching every donation up to 500 dollars. So if you donate, your money basically gets a little buddy. Buy one, get one, but make it wholesome.

Here is why this matters to me, and why I hope it matters to you too.

DeafLEAD is a Deaf-centered organization - By Deaf, For Deaf. That is our heart. Over the last 5 years, our impact has reached far beyond that. If someone uses 988 Chat or Text, whether they are Deaf or hearing, there is a good chance our team is the one answering.

In the last 12 months, DeafLEAD has responded to over 160,000 visitors on 988 Chat and Text

Some are Deaf. Some are hearing. All are human and all deserve someone who will show up for them.

Accessibility is not a niche issue. It is a human issue. When services are built to include Deaf people, they become stronger and more effective for everyone. Supporting a Deaf organization helps create safer, more accessible crisis services for entire communities.

In the past nine years I have seen a lot. I have seen survivors finally get support in their own language. I have seen hearing teens reach out through text because speaking out loud felt terrifying. I have seen overwhelmed parents looking for guidance. I have seen people who truly believed they were alone find out that somebody was right there with them.

This is the work your donation supports.

Your gift helps fund:

• 988 Chat and Text crisis response for anyone who reaches out

• Videophone Crisis Services that provide crisis support to American Sign Language users in their primary language

• Advocacy and victim services that respect language and culture

• Counseling, education, and wellness programs

• Direct support for Deaf individuals and families

If you have ever wondered how to make a real impact in someone’s hardest moment, this is a direct way to do it.

Help me reach 1,000 dollars.

I am matching the first 500 dollars raised. So early donations pack the biggest punch.

Your 10 becomes 20, your 50 becomes 100, and your support becomes something that genuinely changes lives.

Thank you for caring about this work that has shaped my life for nearly a decade. Thank you for helping us make sure no one goes through a crisis alone.

Tyler 🤟🏼