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HeartSupport
Formation2011; 14 years ago (2011)
FounderJake Luhrs
TypeNon-profit
46-4342239
HeadquartersRound Rock, Texas, U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Websitewww.heartsupport.com
YouTube information
Channel
Genres
  • Reaction
  • music
  • interview
Subscribers224 thousand[1]
Views40.3 million[1]
Silver Play Button100,000 subscribers
Last updated: April 3, 2025

HeartSupport is a mental health-based non-profit organization that offers peer support to help individuals within the metal community who struggle with their mental health. The non-profit was founded by Jake Luhrs, vocalist of the band August Burns Red, in 2011. Their mission statement is "Heal The Scene". [2][3][4][5][6]

History

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HeartSupport was founded by Jake Luhrs in 2011[2] after fans shared their personal traumas with him while he ran August Burns Red's merch booth. Inspired by these conversations, Luhrs wanted to create a supportive community where people, including fans he had already connected with, could share their stories.[7]

In 2013, HeartSupport toured with August Burns Red during the Vans Warped Tour of that year.[8]

In 2016, HeartSupport's founder, Jake Luhrs, won the Artist Philanthropic Award at the APMA Awards for his work with the organization.[9]

In a 2020 Revolver article, it was reported that HeartSupport had six full-time employees, over a hundred volunteers, and approximately five hundred thousand users per month interacting with the nonprofit through its support forum and social media.[7]

HeartSupport organized a Twitch live stream in support of World Suicide Prevention Day in 2021, titled Choose Life. The stream featured performances and interviews from musical artists such as Brian Welch, Lacey Sturm, We Came as Romans, and more.[10]

In 2023, the organization hosted HeartSupport Fest in Orlando, Florida. The event was a mission-based metal music festival focusing on "diversity, acceptance, inclusion, self-love and self-care, and mental health as priority." The festival was headlined by Rise Against and Parkway Drive.[11]

Peer Support Programs

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Support Calls

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In March 2024, HeartSupport merged with Beneath the Skin (founded by Brittany Mullins, wife of Memphis May Fire's vocalist Matty Mullins), an organization that provided peer support to women seeking to improve their mental health through monthly one-on-one support calls, keeping the HeartSupport name.[12][13]. After updating the format of this program, it now consists of offering one entire year of peer support through weekly online calls, from a trained volunteer to another music fan who is paired to them based on music preferences, life experiences, age, etc.

Support Wall

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HeartSupport is active on their YouTube channel. Since 2023, their content focuses on a licensed therapist who analyzes the emotional elements behind the lyrics of songs and the visual aspects of their music videos.[14] Prior to this content, the channel hosted interviews with musicians in the metal scene, where the primary topic of discussion revolves around their struggles with their mental health. Past interviewees include Jesse Leach, Andy Biersack, and Ryan Kirby of Fit for a King.[15][16][17] In 2019, the organization released a mini-documentary about As I Lay Dying and the band's vocalist Tim Lambesis, titled Misery Evolving. The documentary focuses on the personal side of the band, detailing Lambesis' prison sentence, his rehabilitation, and how those actions affected the band.[18]

The content created on Youtube is aimed at encouraging music fans to open up about their mental health, and offer them peer support. Each of these videos is linked to a unique technology created by Heartsupport, connected to several social platforms (Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Discord, Twitch). When a music fan opens up about their struggles in the comments of Heartsupport's Youtube videos, a support topic is created on their volunteer-based platform, the Support Wall. Since 2021, trained volunteers who are part of the Support Wall program meet every week through online meetings to offer written responses of encouragement to the people who opened up about their mental health on social platforms. [19] [20] [21]

References

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  1. ^ a b "About HeartSupport". YouTube.
  2. ^ "August Burns Red's Jake Luhrs Talks His Foundation, HeartSupport". Revolver. December 17, 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014.
  3. ^ Pamatian, Chris (24 February 2023). "HEARTSUPPORT FEST DAY 2 FEATURING RISE AGAINST, THE GHOST INSIDE, SPIRITBOX AND MORE AT THE ORLANDO AMPHITHEATER IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA 02/19/23". All Music Magazine.
  4. ^ Whitfield, Stephanie (8 September 2019). "Nonprofit stages at music festivals to connect with teens who are suicidal, depressed". KHOU 11.
  5. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBW2iNwo61U
  6. ^ a b Chichester, Sammi (28 April 2020). "August Burns Red's Jake Luhrs on Past Trauma, Personal Guardians, "Embracing the Suck"". Revolver.
  7. ^ Weidling, Joshua (3 May 2013). "HeartSupport Joins the Vans Warped Tour 2013". Digital Tour Bus.
  8. ^ Chatterjee, Kika (July 18, 2016). "August Burns Red's Jake Luhrs wins Artist Philanthropic Award for HeartSupport at 2016 APMAs". Alternative Press. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  9. ^ DiVita, Joe (4 September 2021). "Love & Death, Lacey Sturm, August Burns Red + More Taking Part In 'Choose Life' Suicide Prevention Livestream". Loudwire.
  10. ^ Kennelty, Greg (11 October 2022). "AUGUST BURNS RED Vocalist Announces Debut HeartSupport Fest Feat. RISE AGAINST, PARKWAY DRIVE & More". Metal Injection.
  11. ^ Nikkel, Mary (13 March 2024). "HeartSupport and Beneath the Skin Team Up for Even More Mental Health Initiatives". Rock On Purpose.
  12. ^ "The History of HeartSupport". HeartSupport.com. 27 March 2025.
  13. ^ Schaffner, Lauryn (3 June 2024). "Therapist Concludes One Thing About Slipknot After Watching All Their Music Videos". Loudwire.
  14. ^ Childers, Chad (19 May 2019). "Killswitch Engage's Jesse Leach: 'Knowing That I'm Not Alone' Helps With Mental Health". Loudwire.
  15. ^ ""I would just overthink everything"—Fit For A King singer talks anxiety, drinking and faith". Alternative Press. 4 March 2015.
  16. ^ "BLACK VEIL BRIDES' ANDY BIERSACK Talks To HeartSupport About Bullying (Video)". 29 December 2013.
  17. ^ "As I Lay Dying Tell The Tale Of Tim Lambesis' Downfall And Return In New Documentary 'Misery Evolving'". Theprp.com. 29 May 2019.
  18. ^ https://www.heartsupport.com/announcements/heartsupport-porter
  19. ^ https://www.heartsupport.com/tech
  20. ^ https://www.heartsupport.com/volunteer
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