Eric Windeler

Eric Windeler, BCom, and his organization Jack.org, have received global recognition for their work in youth mental health. Be There, an initiative of Jack.org, won two Webby Awards, recognizing it as the top health website in the world. Hosted at BeThere.org, the educational tool helps young people recognize when a peer is struggling with mental health and shows how to provide support. Be There was created after a survey of Canadian youth showed that while 83 per cent said they have supported a friend struggling with mental health, only 39 per cent felt they were confident to offer the support needed. “We set about creating an evidence-based, interactive resource that was easy to understand and truly engaging” says Eric. Jack.org, a national charity with 46 staff, 3,000 youth volunteers, and activities all across Canada, was founded by Eric and his wife, Sandra Hanington, after losing their son Jack, a Queen’s student, to suicide.