We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ali Borowsky a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ali, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Find Your Anchor (FYA) was born out of lived experience.

I created FYA as a direct response to every other mental health resource being so sterile, corporate, and cold. In my darkest moments, I didn’t want a white hospital brochure with a number to call. I wanted – needed – to know someone cared. FYA was created by someone who gets it. By someone who’s been there. By a stranger who cares.

FYA doesn’t assume to be the anchor, or have all the answers, rather, it sets out to create a community of anchors, all with the help of some little blue boxes.

Once referred to as a “mental health first aid kit,” each box is packed with good vibes and materials designed to inspire and offer support. This includes a “52+ Reasons to Live” deck of cards, an infographic on depression, list of resources, posters, stickers, a letter, a mixtape, a bracelet, some other sweet nothings, and a whole lot of good vibes.

This movement, each box, in a lot of ways is a physical representation of being fortunate enough to be in a better spot – being anchored and wanting to pay that forward.

For those contemplating suicide, there’s an overwhelming sense of loneliness, despair, and hopelessness. I wanted something specifically for them – a box full of resources, anchors, and inspiration. A box full of humanity.

To date, we’ve launched over 68,000 FYA boxes into schools, communities, and directly into the hands of those struggling.
We also vow to always keep them free for those who are personally struggling.

The importance of growing the network of support to fight this issue is so important. Helping facilitate conversations around mental health is so critical – and if we can do it in a more personal way, these interactions will be more powerful and effective.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ali Borowsky – I’m a graphic designer and rugby player. Once upon a time I was a Design Lead for the NHL Winter Classic and Stadium Series, but my true passion is in the grassroots suicide prevention movement that I created – Find Your Anchor.

My zodiac sign is Cancer, if that tells you anything (and if you’re into that sorta thing).

I’m a feeler.
I’m compassionate.
I’m deeply passionate.
I’m an athlete.
I’m a graphic designer.

I’m also a multiple suicide attempt survivor.

My mental health journey had left me feeling incredibly disconnected, dehumanized, and devalued.
I always wished there was something more.
Something tangible.
Something else.

This left me with a burning desire to infuse the mental health world with more humanity and use my struggle as a roadmap for others.

My core belief in the height of my darkness was that no one would care. I couldn’t feel the love and support I was surrounded by and didn’t think anyone would even notice if I were gone. I thought that if I could create something that showed you that a stranger cares about you, then maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to believe that your friends and family do as well.

So I set out to create a community of strangers who care.

This led me to creating Find Your Anchor – a grassroots movement aimed at suicide prevention, awareness, and education. With creativity and a personal touch, we aim to support those who may be struggling and de-stigmatize conversations surrounding suicide and mental health.

It’s a tangible resource designed to be carried, explored, shared, and relaunched, because in a digital age, we benefit from having something to hold onto – both literally and figuratively.

Not to mention there’s just something utterly soul-filling in putting love into the world for people you may never meet.

—

Several years ago we stumbled on an article about a woman’s experience with a Find Your Anchor box. She was in Las Vegas for work and was in the car with her driver, Marques. The two made small talk for a while, until she asked him his plans for the weekend. He responded that he planned to take his life. Immediately, she canceled her meetings for the day.

She just so happened to have a Find Your Anchor box in her purse.

They went through the box together and the two sat for hours in the car, talking.
Marques said that moment, that box, saved his life.

The two of them both ended up getting anchor tattoos – in honor of this lifesaving encounter.
We’ve also now had the pleasure to meet Marques and are honored to call him our friend.

That woman, it turns out, was Maya Enista Smith – the Executive Director of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation (now also a dear friend and incredible mentor)!

To hear about the impact of FYA from Maya herself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9AbESeuZzw

This story captures Find Your Anchor’s impact in a nutshell, but nearly every week we receive testimonials from box recipients telling us that the box saved a life. These testimonial accounts are so powerful to us, not just because they demonstrate the box’s impact, but also because they don’t strip the humanity out of that impact. We can always provide you with more data/metrics (and we do below), but receiving messages like these demonstrates the true power of this movement. People are literally telling us that this box saved their life.

But where anecdotes give a glimpse into the humanity of FYA, the numbers highlight its breadth – so we included those below as well.

– 96% of FYA box recipients surveyed strongly believe this box could help save lives.
– 98% of FYA box recipients surveyed would recommend Find Your Anchor as a resource to someone struggling.
– 96% of FYA box recipients surveyed stated that receiving a Find Your Anchor box has had a positive impact on their life.
– 90% of FYA box recipients surveyed believe Find Your Anchor is a game-changer for mental health.
– 89% of FYA box recipients surveyed wish there were more tangible mental health resources.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Slow and steady! I’ve never been willing to compromise the quality of our posts just for sheer quantity. It’s easy to get caught up in the number of follower or likes, but I’m trying to think of it more as a portfolio and becoming a working, growing collection of our moments in time.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Authenticity. Authenticity.
Authenticity.

On a weekly basis, we receive messages like these from box recipients:

– “I just wanted to let you know that you saved a life today.”

– “Yesterday, I opened my mailbox and found a package in there from you. From the deep, depths of my heart, I thank you. You’ve saved a life.”

– “Last year I received one of your boxes and it made all the difference in the world for me. Just recently I have found myself opening it again and again to regain that strength and hope that exists within your mission.”

Those experiences have translated into monumental growth for Find Your Anchor – especially word of mouth growth.

For reference, in 2018 we had 251 FYA boxes in the world.

In 2019, we had 1,610 boxes in the world.
In 2020, we had 13,519 boxes in the world.
In 2021, we had 29,120 boxes in the world.
In 2022, we had 51,480 boxes in the world.

As of November 2023, we have 68,380 boxes in the world.

To date we’ve partnered with over 722 high schools and 74 colleges nationwide. We have boxes in all 50 states and in 40+ countries. But our goal always remains – get more boxes into the hands of people struggling.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.findyouranchor.us
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/findyouranchorbox
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/FindYourAnchor
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ali-borowsky
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/FYAbox
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t734oo1nW34
• Other: www.aliborowsky.com

Image Credits
Ali Borowsky