If you’ve been following along, you might know that I’ve decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from my store to a different charity each month. My original goal is to do this for a year, but I hope to be able to continue it even past that!!

This month is National Bullying Prevention Month. Each year, about one out of every four students (22%) report being bullied during the school year (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015). As I’m sure I don’t have to say, students who experience bullying are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, and poor school adjustment, while students who bully others are at increased risk for substance use, academic problems, and violence later in adolescence and adulthood (Center for Disease Control, 2012). One of the most incredibly shocking statistics I came across while researching charities was that 81.9% of students who identify as LGBTQ were bullied in the last year based on their sexual orientation (National School Climate Survey, 2011). 81.9%. That’s disgusting.

So this month, I will be donating to an organization that runs a 24-hour, national crisis and suicide prevention lifeline for gay and questioning teens. If you’re a teen in need of help, you can call 866-488-7386 for help any time you need it.

If you’re in the financial position to help, I encourage you to do so, either through donating on your own to a charity of your choice or purchasing any item in my store. I’ll automatically donate 10% at the end of the month!