AMANDA SOUTHWORTH
UNITED STATES, 16
Project: AnxietyHelper
Basic Human Needs: Health
During her middle school and high school years, Amanda was constantly struggling with her mental health. After years of feeling hopeless, confused and unsure of where to turn for help, Amanda found an escape through music. Inspired to share this sense of relief with others who suffered from mental illness, she created AnxietyHelper – an app that acts as a mental health guidebook, giving users resources to find information and coping mechanisms. Officially launched in 2015, AnxietyHelper has more than 3,000 downloads, 1,300 active users each month and a Tumblr page with 3,600+ followers. After being selected as one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 this year, TOMS® Social Entrepreneurship Fund invested $25,000 in AnxietyHelper. With this investment, Amanda plans to add features that further improve users’ quality of life, and address a wider range of mental health disorders. Amanda is working to transform AnxietyHelper from an app into a supportive global community.