The Cars4Kev Foundation is dedicated to making a difference through community outreach efforts, including various family support programs that emphasize mental health support and suicide prevention.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
WE STAND WITH YOU THROUGH CARS4KEV FOUNDATION!
OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES INCLUDE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO HELP WITH SUICIDE PREVENTION.
Every Tuesday from 5-7pm, come join us at the Cars4Kev Foundation for Talk Through Tuesday, where we focus on community outreach and provide mental health support. You can participate in person at 1121 South 6th St. Brainerd, MN, or connect with us by Zoom. Our family support programs are designed to help you share what you're going through and promote suicide prevention.
Join us for The Cars4Kev Care Camp, hosted by the Cars4Kev Foundation, from July 17th-19th, 2025 in Wadena, MN. This event is part of our community outreach efforts aimed at providing family support programs and mental health support, while also focusing on suicide prevention.
The sad part is our story is not unlike many others, and while the exact details may be unique to us, many families affected by suicide death or suicide attempts can relate. We must be the change we need. The Cars4Kev Foundation is committed to community outreach through various family support programs, including the following initiatives aimed at mental health support and suicide prevention.
Crisis Crew: This much-needed service is often shocking but is the first step in the healing process for families facing tragedy. Once we are informed of a need, we immediately assist families after a suicide or a suicide attempt. Our compassionate team will help with cleanup if needed, replace bedding and furniture, and make necessary repairs so families can begin to learn to live again.
CareCamp: We host free camping events throughout the year for families and friends affected by suicide. Thanks to the Cars4Kev Foundation, all food, facilities, campers, and festivities are provided at no cost to survivors and their families, creating a safe space for healing.
Meals2Heal: Proper nutrition is essential in the healing journey, especially after life-altering traumatic events. Meals2Heal delivers meals daily to families immediately following a suicide or suicide attempt for as long as necessary. This program not only ensures families have what they need but also allows us to check in on them regularly. This initiative is provided at no cost and is funded by the Cars4Kev Foundation.
Cars4Kev Mental Health Center "Hope Hub": Spanning 5,000 square feet, this facility includes a call center, offices, and meeting rooms, and is located on the grounds of CareCamp. Here, we further our commitment to mental health support and ensure families have access to the resources they need.
After suffering from the suicide deaths of my brother Kevin "Kev" in 2003, my late wife Jen in 2013, and a suicide attempt by our son at just 10 years old in 2023, my wife Allison and I found ourselves in a helpless, hopeless, and paralyzing moment. Tragedy was averted when John Jr. received the mental health support he urgently needed—thank God he is alive! As he was on his way to get the help, the reality started to settle in for Allison and me. We stared blankly at each other, holding our 6-year-old daughter JoJo as tight as we could, motionless and paralyzed in fear and emotion as we came to grips with what had just happened.
Allison truly was a hero; she saved Junior's life, but there was no time for celebration. When the ambulance left with Jr., reality hit hard. Once we found our voices, we realized our family needed help and reached out for support, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. As the hours and days passed, the next wave hit us. The ripple effects of our crisis became apparent—we struggled, feeling alone without community outreach or family support programs. It felt as if there was no assistance available for our family. We were trying to find any solid ground to step on, but we found none. No one checked on us, and there was no one to help calm our fears. With no food left in the house, the only mail and phone calls we received were disconnection notices and bill collections. How do you move onward with no one advocating for you? How do we express what we were feeling inside ourselves? It's in these moments that initiatives like the Cars4Kev Foundation remind us of the critical importance of mental health support and suicide prevention.
The Cars4Kev Foundation name originated during a family trip. If you've tuned into satellite radio, you may have heard the ad for kars4kids, which features a catchy jingle. Frustrated with the lack of support we had received, I turned to Allison and asked, 'Where do their donations go? Our 10-year-old son nearly took his life; he's a kid, and we received no help!' At that moment, I was also in the process of writing a book about my brother Kevin, who took his life 20 years earlier. Overcome with emotion, I thought, why not create Cars4Kev? Why can't we establish a nonprofit that accepts donations of cars and items people wish to part with to fund essential family support programs and mental health support for those forever impacted by suicide? Allison chimed in, 'Cars also stands for Care After Relative Suicide, C.A.R.S.4Kev!' That’s how Cars4Kev was born.
You wouldn't wait for every bone in a person's body to break before you treat their broken arm! So why should it be any different for families suffering from the ripple effects of a suicide or suicide attempt? The Cars4Kev Foundation focuses on community outreach and family support programs that prioritize mental health support and suicide prevention. It's essential to address these issues proactively, just as we would with any other health concern.
You can become one of our Critical Voices at the Cars4Kev Foundation to support community outreach, family support programs, mental health support, and suicide prevention for those in need.
The Cars4Kev Foundation is a nonprofit organization registered with the State of Minnesota, dedicated to community outreach and funding essential family support programs. We focus on providing critical mental health support to Families Affected by Suicide, as the aftermath can often be overwhelmingly debilitating. Help us reach those in need of suicide prevention assistance NOW!
Join us for our annual fundraisers with the Cars4Kev Foundation to support our community outreach initiatives and family support programs. Help us raise funds through purchasing Cars4Kev merchandise, participating in auctions, and attending our upcoming events such as the Car Show and Drive-In movie night. Don’t miss our CareCamp from July 17th-19th, 2024, focused on mental health support and suicide prevention.
Do you have the knowledge and wisdom to support the Cars4Kev Foundation? We are seeking volunteers to assist with everything from event planning to administrative tasks to enhance our community outreach and effectively run our family support programs. Join us and become a Cars4Kev advocate today to help with mental health support and suicide prevention initiatives.
Help us raise awareness about the Cars4Kev Foundation and our vital mission by sharing it with your friends and family. Engage in our community outreach initiatives, follow us on social media, and invite others to join our efforts in supporting family support programs, mental health support, and suicide prevention.
If you're passionate about making a difference, join our team and become part of the Cars4Kev Foundation family. We're in critical need of dedicated individuals to support our community outreach efforts, which include family support programs, mental health support, and suicide prevention initiatives.
Your donation will support the Cars4Kev Foundation's crucial community outreach and family support programs aimed at aiding families affected by suicide. These initiatives are vital for enhancing mental health support and empowering suicide prevention efforts.