Founded in 2019, Engage and Heal Foundation is challenging communities to erase the stigma of mental health by shattering the silence and building a bridge for those who feel unheard and disconnected.

Engage & Heal Foundation began in the Lake Travis community because the President’s daughter’s best friend died by suicide in August 2018. Erik was an Eagle Scout, cadet in the Corps at Texas at A&M, varsity swimmer and varsity football player his senior year at Lake Travis High School. In his honor, we started a scholarship and raised over $10,000. Engage and Heal is the acronym for Erik Hanson.

Through our efforts, we have brought the topic of mental health into the open in front of 4,000 and educating our community about mental health with the help of NAMI (National Association of Mental Illness) and Integral Care. By helping everyone become more aware of the warning signs, we can aid them to reach people who feel unheard and disconnected. Our understanding and our presence are the first step in the healing process.

On October 6^th in the middle of Mental Illness Awareness Week, we are hosting our first fundraiser, Farm to Table(aux) themed Van Gogh’s Arty Night at Pecan Springs Ranch. This event will bring together community-minded, philanthropic art and food lovers to enjoy a feast of fresh and seasonal dishes alongside the imaginative productions and performances of local artists and entertainers to introduce our foundation to Austin. We lo​ok to have 200-250 attending, where we will have a cocktail hour with silent auction and living tableaux, followed by dinner, performances and Live auction.