This fall will be the one-year anniversary of TWLOHA UChapters, a program designed for college students inspired to bring the mission and vision of To Write Love on Her Arms to campuses across the US and Canada (for now). It began as an idea a year and a half ago. Today, the program is 27 chapters strong, from Florida to Ontario with another 16 in the process of launching. The vision for UChapters is to provide students a way to become more active in supporting and educating people about the issues of depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. This means speaking honestly and addressing stigmas, finding help for those seeking it, being a voice of hope where there is none, and choosing community and relationship over isolation.
The goal for the coming year is to head further west with UChapters (although we are still welcoming the eastern parts of North America). I’m in Omaha right now for our MOVE Community Conference and the goal is to train and prepare students to become official TWLOHA UChapter leaders. It will happen again at MOVE Portland in September and then MOVE Southern California in October.
Over the past few months, we’ve had a productive time working alongside our summer interns preparing for the fall semester. Currently, three of our six interns are representing their home chapters: TWLOHA-Virginia Commonwealth University and TWLOHA-Oklahoma State University. They have done an outstanding job in maintaining and developing the UChapter program and we are so thankful for them.
The ultimate purpose in all of the travel, meetings, evaluations, writing emails, etc. is for TWLOHA’s message of hope and help to reach more students this year. We know there is a need on campus. And we are trying our best to meet that need. Join us.
With Hope,
Denny
UChapter Director
by Denny Kolsch – TWLOHA UChapters Director