Carl Nassib and the Trevor Project logo.Photo: Will Vragovic/Getty
Carl NassibmadeNFL history this week— but his announcement is also making strides forThe Trevor Project.
On Monday, the Las Vegas Raiders defensive end, 28, came out as gay, making him the first active NFL player to do so. With the announcement, Nassib donated $100,000 toThe Trevor Project, explaining that he feels an “immense responsibility to help in any way [he] can.”
Other individuals and companies have since followed suit, includingBooking.com, which matched the donation, as well as Penn State University’s Head Football Coach James Franklin, whoannounced he would be making a $10,000 donationon behalf of his former player.
A spokesperson for The Trevor Project tells PEOPLE they’ve seen a 100% increase in online donations since Nassib’s announcement.
“The Trevor Project is grateful to Carl Nassib for living his truth and supporting LGBTQ youth,” Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project,said in a statement. “This generous donation will help us scale our life-saving crisis services to reach the more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth who seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S.”
But what exactly is The Trevor Project? Here’s everything to know about the organization.
Carl Nassib.Ethan Miller/Getty
Founded in 1998, The Trevor Project is a national organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ people under the age of 25,according to their website.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people have relied on The Trevor Project’s various in-person and online life-saving and life-affirming resources to help them navigate through crises, thewebsite states.
The organization haspreviously concludedthat an estimated 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth (ages 13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. Their2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Healthalso found that 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, with more than half of that percentage identifying as transgender and nonbinary.
To help lower those staggering statistics, the organization has 24/7 resources in place, including theTrevor Lifeline,TrevorChat,TrevorText,TrevorSpace(a safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth) andTrevor Education Workshops.
The Trevor Project also has an advocacy department – which fights for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions – as well asa research team, which determines the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis.
For those interested in getting involved, the organization offersvolunteer opportunitiesas well asa newsletterto keep up-to-date with all their events and research. People are also encouraged tofollow the organization on social mediaanddonateif they have the means.
Nassib echoed this sentiment in his announcement on Monday.
In Paley’s statement, the CEO praised Nassib for spreading that important message before calling on others to continue promoting inclusivity and acceptance.
“Coming out is an intensely personal decision, and it can be an incredibly scary and difficult one to make. We hope that Carl’s historic representation in the NFL will inspire young LGBTQ athletes across the country to live their truth and pursue their dreams,” Paley said. “At a time when state lawmakers are actively trying torestrict transgender and nonbinary youth’s participationin school sports, this news should serve as a clarion call for greater LGBTQ inclusion in the locker room and on the field.”
The Trevor Project has trained counselors to support LGBTQ youth 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call theTrevorLifelineat 1-866-488-7386. To make a donation,visit their website.
source: people.com
