We’re Ending the Mental Health Crisis.
Every part of this foundation traces back to one person.
Matt Harbin was the kind of big brother and friend who made you believe you were capable of anything. He was also someone who fought a battle in silence, one that nobody around him could see.
On April 2nd, 2018, he took his own life.
What followed was the kind of grief that doesn’t have a roadmap. But Brett, Matt’s younger brother, made a decision: he was going to turn it into something. He would move forward, but not on.
Brett’s Story
Brett knows the mental health crisis from the inside. Long before the foundation existed, he had his own battles. Lying awake at night, battling anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide. Brett would pray to get to the next morning.
He made a promise during those hard nights, to both himself and God: if God delivered him through, Brett would spend whatever time he had left putting good into the world.
Losing Matt didn’t break that promise. It made it impossible to ignore.
The tools that could have helped Matt weren’t there when he needed them. The more Brett and his family learned from the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, the more Brett realized this. And because he truly understood it, in a way that only someone who has been there can, Brett both saw and felt the value in fighting that battle with the right support around you.
This foundation is him keeping his word.
The Family
Brett didn’t build the Matt Harbin Foundation alone. The boys’ mother Libby has been at the center of everything from the beginning. Most of the people who show up to MHF events, make up our community, and even donate are there because of her. She is a living example of what it looks like to take grief and turn it into connection.
The Harbin family, like Brett, has moved forward. They have not moved on. That distinction matters, and it shapes every decision the foundation makes.
Mission, Vision and Values
Our Mission
To end the mental health crisis through research, education and empowerment.
Our Vision
Connected communities where each person is included, understood and given every opportunity to grow into the best version of themselves.
What We Stand For
Research matters. Education saves lives. Connection builds resilience. And support should be available to everyone, not just those with resources. MHF uses every dollar it receives to ensure anyone who needs these tools can get them.