To our supporters, collaborators and fellow visionaries!

We are asking our community to help keep us going into the future by becoming an Icarus sustainer. You can design a monthly donation package for yourself by clicking here.

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We've created a place were we define what madness is for ourselves, and discover what healing can be if we honor our own experiences. The Icarus Project is a place of unity, safety and tremendous growth for those seeking a different perspective from the prevailing views around mental health.

The Icarus Project stands at the forefront of a radical re-examination of how mental illness is defined in this society. Our online community now has over 8000 registered members; we have support groups throughout the US and abroad; our growing list of publications have been translated into 3 languages; our campus organizing initiative is thriving on many campuses, and we are continuing to grow, evolve, and seek out new partnerships and opportunities.

These are some of the voices of people who are part of The Icarus Project, shared on our forums: 

• The Icarus Project takes away the feeling of shame and isolation that comes from being told you are crazy and will never get better....There is always someone you can talk to who has been where you are and has gotten through it. People offer real practical help with compassion.

• Icarus is one of the few places where I've found an open and supportive environment, where people are talking about both their problems with illness and their problems with the current system of treatment.

• We heal together within The Icarus Project as a family...We support each other thru darkest times... I know many people share the same fears and frustrations as me and I am not alone.

• At Icarus I have a feeling of being listened to and understood - of being known - that is absent in most other spheres of my life... It is one of the only places I can show up and not feel like I need to hide all the glaring contradictions I contain.

Whether you're posting actively in our forums, reading the words of others, participating in a local group or event, or tapping into our resources and writing, you are a part of this community.

At this point in our development, we are seeking long-term sustainability though direct member support. We don't want to rely only on foundation grants and large, one time donations to meet our ongoing expenses. After 7 years, this is the first time we're coming to you, our community, to create a sustainable resource base for the future.

By relying on volunteer involvement and decentralized participation, we're able to make a greater impact than non-profit organizations with much bigger budgets - and support each other more cost effectively than any clinic, hospital, or doctor's office ever could.

It costs more than $40,000 a year to keep Icarus up and functioning. That money takes care of our basic housekeeping - maintaining and developing the website and forums, printing and publishing and distribution, making free online versions of our publications, money for office space and overhead, supporting local organizing, and small stipends for our incredibly dedicated core group of part-time coordinators.

We are asking our community to help keep us going into the future by becoming an Icarus sustainer.

We are keenly aware of the financial marginalization of people considered disabled by madness, and we know that for many in our community, the idea of contributing to anything other than basic self survival may be difficult. Please know that any of your involvement -- support, shared values, reading and participating in our forums and local groups -- is ultimately just as important as financial.

If you can make a donation, even a small amount goes a long way. We are asking for contributions of just $10.00 per month, $25.00 to $50.00 per month for those who are able, or a one-time donation of any amount.

And if you can't personally contribute, consider asking friends or families to give on your behalf during the holiday season.

If 100 people contribute to our winter fund drive at the $25.00 per month level, we can keep our website viable over the next 12 months, with needed software upgrades and improvements to our social networking features.

If 200 people contribute $10.00 per month, we can fund another national tour, publish a follow-up to the Navigating The Space reader, and host gatherings of radical mental health organizers from around the country.

We don't want raising money to be our focus. So hopefully we can raise operating funds though this winter fundraising drive, freeing up time for other efforts

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Support radical mental health and grassroots organizing! The Icarus Project partners with FJC as our fiscal sponsor, and all donations are fully tax-deductible in the United States. All our Sustainers at the $10/month or more level will get periodic mailings of extra Icarus materials throughout the year, to stay in touch and fuel your inspiration.

We understand that many people in our community do not have money to spare, but have other gifts to offer, so we welcome your continued involvement and please be in touch with us through the Icarus forums.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you want to figure out another way to financially support Icarus, please email us at info(at)theicarusproject(dot)net. 

Have a good Winter Solstice season!

The Icarus Project Coordinator Collective
(Angel, Annie, Ashley, Eric, Madigan, Molly, Sascha, Will)