When Brian Weiss took his own life in 2001, he was just twenty-one years old and struggling with low self esteem, mental health issues and addiction. His brother Kevin, wanting to turn this tragedy into a force for positive change, established the Brian Weiss Memorial Fund with the Missoula Community Foundation in 2021. The fund aims to provide effective, innovative solutions that focus on helping teens access counseling and education to enrich their feelings of self-worth and chances of success in the world.

The Weiss family is honoring Brian’s memory by lifting up organizations that work to remove the financial barriers and social stigmas that often prevent teens from seeking help. The Families First teen programs, Dream Bigger, MT Happiness Project and Inner Roads do just this – and Kevin chose them because, “they each have a unique approach to supporting and serving teens in Missoula, helping them discover their own power, worth and potential,”

This gift is just the first disbursement of the fund, which Kevin hopes will, “Continue to grow and expand our ability to positively impact our next generation of Missoulians as they make their way through what can be the most impactful years of their lives.”

Donations to the Brian Weiss Memorial Fund can be made here and will support suicide prevention and mental health programs for Missoula teens going forward.