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Flourish Foundation Project, Inc.
DBA: F.I.R.E. Institute for Wellness & Global Competitiveness
Flourish Foundation Project, Inc. is a federally recognized nonprofit and community behavioral health services provider advancing youth mental health, prevention, and future-ready pathways.
Meeting youth where they are through music, gaming, and creative media—then guiding them toward resilience, leadership, and readiness for a rapidly advancing technology- and AI-driven future. This work is powered by community collaboration and national partners.
Explore Our Programs
Charlotte First—Leading the Nation
Flourish Foundation Project, recognizes the national urgency and feels the impact profoundly, as a Charlotte-based nonprofit leads the nation in collaborative impact for the national suicide crisis among youth and young adults, promoting safe caring and globally competitive communities— a replicable and scalable model offering a coordinated collaborative impact solution addressing youth in crisis and empowering youth to embrace life & build bright futures with in a rapidly advancing ai and technology-driven world.
We are actively seeking collaborative partners within the Charlotte, NC - Mecklenburg County Area for a national public health awareness & community behavioral health initiative for youth mental wellbeing & suicide prevention.
Prepared by Chanda L. Spates
Flourish Foundation Project Inc.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
Our mission is to help youth and young adults embrace life and build bright futures by preventing suicide, strengthening mental resilience, and creating a national ecosystem of support—uniting communities, schools, and national brands to prepare youth for leadership in a rapidly advancing, AI- and technology-driven world, and fueling safe, caring, and globally competitive communities.
Our Vision
We envision a future where every young person has access to stigma-free mental health care, meaningful pathways to purpose, and collaborative support systems that empower them to thrive emotionally, academically, and professionally.
At Flourish Foundation Project, Inc., we believe that youth mental health is not just an individual concern—it's a community priority that requires coordinated action across sectors. By bridging the gap between engagement and care, we create sustainable pathways that transform lives and strengthen communities for generations to come.
Our approach recognizes that today's young people are growing up in an unprecedented era of technological advancement and global connectivity. We prepare them not only to navigate these changes but to lead with resilience, purpose, and compassion.
Building Safe, Caring, and Globally Competitive Communities by Strengthening Youth Mental Resilience
Flourish Foundation Project, Inc. DBA F.I.R.E. Institute for Wellness & Global Competitiveness, a federally recognized, tax-exempt nonprofit and community behavioral health services, provider advancing youth mental health, prevention, and future-ready pathways through a collaborative national ecosystem is designed to save lives, strengthen communities, and support a resilient, technologically savvy pipeline of success.
We meet youth and young adults where they are—through music, gaming, creative media, and real-world experiences—then guide them toward resilience, leadership, and access to care in a rapidly advancing, AI- and technology-driven world.
Our work, and our proprietary approach, the F.I.R.E. Ecosystem (Flourish Impact Resilience & Excellence) F.I.R.E. Ecosystem are driven by urgency and intentionally crafted collaborative opportunities to advance stigma-free pathways to care & career readiness. . Every day, young people face mental health challenges without the support they need. At the same time, they're preparing to lead in a world transformed by artificial intelligence and rapid technological advancement. We meet them where they are—through music, esports, and creative media—then equip them with resilience, readiness, and professional support for the journey ahead.
The National Suicide Crisis
"In 2023, more than 1.7 million suicide attempts occurred — the highest ever recorded. Over 51,000 deaths — one every 11 minutes. About 23% were minors under 18."
— CDC / NIMH
1.7M
Suicide Attempts
Highest number ever recorded in a single year
51K
Deaths in 2023
One life lost every 11 minutes
23%
Were Minors
Nearly one in four victims under age 18

This is a national emergency requiring bold, collaborative, community-based action. We cannot wait for government solutions alone.
Charlotte — North Carolina’s Highest Suicide Rates Among Youth & Young Adults (ages 10-24)
"Mecklenburg County had the highest number of child and teen suicide deaths (ages 10–17) of any county in North Carolina between 2013 and 2017."
— Charlotte Observer / NAMI Charlotte
Rising Youth Suicide Attempts
Charlotte continues to see alarming rates of youth suicide attempts, with our county leading the state in tragic losses.
Overwhelmed Families
Parents and families are searching desperately for support systems, resources, and guidance to help their struggling children.
Dangerous Afterschool Hours
The hours between 3-7 PM represent the most dangerous time for youth, when supervision is minimal and risk is highest.
Charlotte urgently needs community-based, accessible solutions that meet families where they are.
Redefining Mental Health & Wellness for Youth
We serve youth and young adults, families, schools, and communities seeking stigma-free pathways to mental wellness, prevention, leadership, and future readiness.
Youth & Young Adults
Ages 10–24 seeking mental health support, enrichment opportunities, and pathways to purpose through engaging, stigma-free experiences that meet them where they are.
Families
Parents and caregivers looking for accessible mental health resources, prevention strategies, and supportive services that strengthen their children's emotional resilience.
Schools & Educators
Educational institutions seeking collaborative partnerships to enhance student mental wellness, early intervention capabilities, and future-ready skill development.
Communities
Local leaders, organizations, and stakeholders committed to building safe, caring environments where youth can thrive emotionally, academically, and professionally.
Our Approach: The F.I.R.E. Ecosystem
A Coordinated, Scalable Model
The F.I.R.E. ecosystem is a coordinated, scalable model built on permanent core elements activated through evolving programs and initiatives.
This innovative framework ensures consistency, accountability, and measurable impact while allowing flexibility to respond to emerging needs and opportunities. Our ecosystem approach creates synergy across all programs, multiplying effectiveness and reach.

Core elements do not change. Programs and initiatives may evolve over time while continuing to activate the same core element. This structure provides stability and clarity for partners, funders, and communities while enabling responsive innovation.
Five Permanent Core Elements
Each core element represents a critical component of comprehensive youth mental health support. Together, they form an integrated system that addresses prevention, intervention, enrichment, awareness, and collaborative impact.
The Five Core Elements of the F.I.R.E. Ecosystemâ„¢
The F.I.R.E. Ecosystemâ„¢ operates through five interconnected core elements that create comprehensive support for youth. Each element serves a distinct purpose while reinforcing the others, ensuring no young person falls through the cracks.
Youth Enrichment & Engagement
Trusted entry points where youth naturally engage through music, gaming, and creative expression
Wellness & Support
Direct counseling, peer support, and early intervention services that meet immediate needs
Public Health Awareness
Prevention campaigns and collective action initiatives that save lives through education
Community & National Reinforcement
Scalable partnerships that create visibility, sustainability, and collective impact
Global Competitiveness & National Resilience
Long-term workforce readiness and pathways to stability that strengthen our nation
Core Element I:
Counseling & Behavioral Health Services
Professional Foundation
Credentialed counseling and behavioral health services provide a professional foundation for prevention, support, and ongoing care.
Current Activations
Counseling & Behavioral Health Services
Licensed mental health professionals delivering individual, group, family, and telehealth counseling in accessible, stigma-free environments.
Our behavioral health services are designed to meet youth and families at every stage of their mental wellness journey—from prevention and early intervention to ongoing therapeutic support. We provide evidence-based practices delivered by credentialed professionals who understand the unique challenges facing today's young people.
Core Element II:
Youth Enrichment & Leadership Development
Building Trust & Belonging
Youth enrichment builds trust, belonging, leadership, and stigma-free pathways to support.
Enrichment programs create the essential bridge between engagement and care. By meeting youth in spaces they find exciting and relevant—through music, gaming, creative media, and hands-on experiences—we build authentic relationships that open doors to support when it's needed most.
Current Activations
SoundQuest Station
An innovative program engaging youth through music, gaming, and creative media experiences that build confidence, leadership, and future readiness.
Music & Mental Resilience
A transformative use of music for expression & intervention. A past activation demonstrating the power of music-based interventions in strengthening emotional wellness and creating pathways to support. Our youth took the main stage at the annual Charlotte Taste of Charlotte food festival performing original titles that transform music into life-saving messages of resilience and hope.
These activations demonstrate our commitment to innovation in youth engagement. By leveraging the interests and passions of young people, we create non-threatening entry points to mental health conversations and resources. Leadership development is woven throughout, preparing participants for success in school, careers, and life.
Core Element II:
Core Element III:
Prevention & Public Awareness
Scaling Life-Saving Messages
Prevention scales when life-saving messages are visible, repeated, and reinforced across communities and platforms.
Public awareness and prevention campaigns create cultural shifts in how communities talk about and respond to youth mental health. Consistent, visible messaging reduces stigma, normalizes help-seeking, and ensures that young people know where to turn when they're struggling.
Prevention is most effective when it reaches young people through multiple touchpoints—at school, online, in their communities, and through trusted voices. Our prevention strategies are designed for maximum reach and sustained impact.
Current Activations
Every11Minutes
A powerful prevention campaign that mobilizes communities and partners to reinforce prevention messages, strengthen help-seeking behaviors, and support youth with consistent, visible communication that saves lives.
The name reflects a sobering reality while inspiring urgent action. Through strategic partnerships and multi-channel messaging, Every11Minutes ensures that prevention becomes a sustained community priority.
Core Element IV:
Live Experiences & National Events
Creating Momentum for Impact
High-visibility experiences unite communities, amplify prevention, and create momentum for national impact.
Live events serve as catalysts for community engagement and national visibility. They bring together youth, families, educators, influencers, and partners in shared experiences that celebrate resilience, showcase innovation, and demonstrate the power of collective action in youth mental health.
Current Activations
Play & Stay — Live Championship: A Historic National Youth Summit Where Esports, Music, and Wellness Unite
Uniting industries, influencers, and national brands through highly engaging, stigma-free, youth-friendly experiences that equip young people with life-saving skills, leadership for today, and pathways to the careers of the future.
A First-of-Its-Kind Summit
Play & Stay — Live is a first-of-its-kind national youth summit presented by Flourish Foundation Project, Inc., in collaboration with the Olympic Regional Development Authority, and live streamed to the nation from the iconic U.S. Olympic Center.
This can't-miss event happens May 23–24, 2026.
This groundbreaking summit combines competitive esports, live music performances, wellness workshops, and career pathways exploration in an unprecedented two-day experience. Young people will connect with industry leaders, mental health professionals, and peers from across the nation—all while competing, creating, and building skills for the future.

K–12 schools in the state of New York can apply for transportation assistance at: https://www.esportsplaystay.live
Core Element V: Collaborative Impact & Partnerships
Multiplying Reach Through Collaboration
Cross-sector collaboration multiplies reach, reinforces outcomes, and strengthens communities at scale.
No single organization can solve the youth mental health crisis alone. Sustainable impact requires coordinated action across sectors—bringing together nonprofits, businesses, schools, government agencies, influencers, and community leaders in shared commitment to youth wellness.
The Flourish Impact Alliance represents our commitment to building and sustaining these critical partnerships. By aligning resources, expertise, and reach, we create a force multiplier effect that extends far beyond what any individual entity could achieve.
Strategic collaboration also ensures that prevention messages are reinforced through trusted voices across multiple platforms and touchpoints, creating the consistency necessary for lasting cultural change.
Core Activation:
Flourish Impact Alliance
The Alliance unites cross-sectional partners—brands, educators, leaders, and influencers—to reinforce prevention, strengthen communities, and expand access to engagement and support at scale.
Alliance partners gain opportunities to demonstrate corporate social responsibility, reach youth audiences authentically, and contribute to measurable community impact. Together, we're building a national movement for youth mental wellness.
Programs & Initiatives
Each program below represents our ecosystem brought to life. These are not afterschool programs—they are youth enrichment and leadership initiatives designed to empower young people with skills, confidence, and community support for lifelong success.
SoundQuest Station
Flagship youth enrichment hub for music, gaming, podcasting, and peer support. A dynamic space where creativity meets mental wellness, giving young people the tools and community they need to express themselves and build resilience through the arts.
Every 11 Minutesâ„¢
National awareness campaign and collaborative movement to address youth suicide. Named for the tragic statistic that someone dies by suicide every 11 minutes in America, this initiative transforms awareness into action through strategic partnerships and community mobilization.
Play & Stay — Live Championship
Annual esports, music, and youth resilience showcase event held at the iconic U.S. Olympic Center in Lake Placid. This three-day championship brings together gaming, live music performances, and mental wellness programming in an unforgettable experience.
Location: U.S. Olympic Center, Lake Placid
Dates: May 23–24, 2026 and annually for 3 years
Programs in Action: Activating the Core Elements
Each program and initiative within the F.I.R.E. ecosystem activates one of our five permanent core elements. This structure ensures alignment, accountability, and measurable impact while allowing programs to evolve in response to community needs and emerging opportunities.
Counseling & Behavioral Health Services
Activation of: Counseling & Behavioral Health Services
Licensed professionals providing individual, group, family, and telehealth counseling.
SoundQuest Station
Activation of: Youth Enrichment & Leadership Development
Engaging youth through music, gaming, and creative media for confidence and future readiness.
Every11Minutes
Activation of: Prevention & Public Awareness
Mobilizing communities with visible, consistent prevention messaging that saves lives.
Play & Stay — Live
Activation of: Live Experiences & National Events
Historic national summit uniting esports, music, and wellness at the U.S. Olympic Center.
Flourish Impact Alliance
Activation of: Collaborative Impact & Partnerships
Uniting brands, educators, and leaders to expand support at scale.
Multiple Pathways to Get Involved
Youth & Families
Access counseling, enroll in enrichment programs, register for events, and connect with support resources.
Schools & Educators
Partner on prevention initiatives, bring programs to your community, and access transportation support for events.
Sponsors & Partners
Join the Impact Alliance, sponsor signature events, and amplify prevention campaigns through your platforms.
Community Leaders
Collaborate on local implementation, advocate for youth mental health, and help expand the ecosystem to new regions.
The F.I.R.E. ecosystem creates multiple entry points for engagement—whether you're seeking services, looking to contribute resources, or wanting to bring these programs to your community. Every pathway strengthens the collective impact and moves us closer to a future where every young person has access to stigma-free mental health support.

Bring F.I.R.E. Programs to Your Community
Interested in bringing counseling services, SoundQuest Station, Every11Minutes, or Play & Stay events to your city? We're actively expanding to new communities across the nation.
Share your interest: City/State
Flourish Foundation Project, Inc. is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit and community behavioral health services provider.
Email: info@flourish.foundation | Phone: 704-661-3005
When These Elements Work Together
Transformative Outcomes for Youth, Families, and Communities
Our comprehensive, integrated approach creates powerful synergies that transform individual lives and strengthen entire communities. When clinical excellence, stigma-free engagement, public awareness, collaborative amplification, and digital access work together, the results extend far beyond mental health outcomes alone.
Lives Saved
Early intervention prevents escalation to crisis, ensuring youth receive support before reaching the point of suicidal ideation or attempt
Hope Restored
Youth who felt isolated and hopeless discover community, purpose, and genuine reasons to embrace life and look forward to their futures
Leadership Development
Participants develop self-advocacy skills, peer leadership capabilities, and confidence to navigate challenges and seize opportunities
Career Exploration & Workforce Readiness
Youth gain exposure to high-growth career pathways, develop marketable skills, and build portfolios that position them for economic success in an AI-driven future
Economic Development
By preparing youth for technology and innovation sectors, we support local and national economic competitiveness while reducing unemployment and underemployment
Global Competitiveness
A mentally healthy, skilled, resilient workforce strengthens America's ability to compete in the global economy and lead in technological innovation
Reduced Juvenile Delinquency
Youth engaged in positive activities, connected to mentors, and supported through challenges are far less likely to enter the criminal justice system
Resilient Future Workforce
Today's supported youth become tomorrow's mentally healthy workers, parents, and leaders—breaking intergenerational cycles of crisis and trauma
Ripple Effects Across Systems
The impact of our work extends into healthcare systems (reduced emergency department utilization), education systems (improved attendance and academic performance), family systems (strengthened relationships and communication), and criminal justice systems (diverted youth from pipelines to incarceration). Every young person we reach creates positive ripples that touch dozens of other lives—siblings, parents, peers, teachers, and future children yet to be born.
This is prevention at scale. This is how we change trajectories not just for individuals, but for entire generations. And this is why every partner, donor, and supporter plays an irreplaceable role in building a future where every young person can flourish..
Connect with Flourish Foundation
Reach out to learn more about our vital youth mental health programs, explore partnership opportunities, or discover how you can get involved in building resilient communities.