Our goal is to prevent suicide through public awareness and education, reduce stigma, and serve as a resource to those touched by suicide.” - Hope Squad mission statement

Hope Squad was founded by Dr. Gregory A. Hudnall, who has served as a high-school principal and educational administrator for many years, after experiencing the tragic loss of some of his young students. After one particularly difficult experience, he swore to himself that he would do all he could to prevent another child from taking their own life.

With time and research, Dr. Hudnall developed the philosophy that the most effective way to prevent teen-suicides was through peer-support and founded Hope Squad. He and his team developed a program that taught students how to recognize their peers that may be struggling and trained them what to do when they heard or saw things that signalled a peer may need help.

Each Hope Squad across the country partners with local community agencies and resources to then be able to refer struggling students to safe places where they can get the help they need.