Championing Mental Health in Athletics — One Box at a Time

At College Hill, we believe merchandise can do more than represent a brand—it can represent hope. When that merchandise helps open up conversations, spread awareness, and break down stigma around mental health in student athletics, we know we’re creating something truly meaningful.

In 2024, we had the honor of partnering with Hilinski’s Hope Foundation (H3H) to design and distribute custom Student Athlete Mental Health Boxes as part of their nationwide campaign for Student Athlete Mental Health Week. What began as a box of gear became a symbol of solidarity, strength, and support for student athletes across the country.

“The custom CH Mental Health Boxes could be our favorite! The message the boxes send—along with the incredible mental health products inside—send a powerful message to our colleges, universities, and high schools across the country: you and your mental health matter.”
— Kym Hilinski, Co-Founder, Hilinski’s Hope Foundation

Project Overview

• Client: Hilinski’s Hope Foundation
• Campaign: Student Athlete Mental Health Week 2024
• Scope: 250 Custom Mental Health Boxes
• Audience Reach: 88,000+ student athletes
• Activation: 210+ colleges & universities, 65+ high schools and clubs, and supporters nationwide
• National Impact: Participation in every U.S. state
  
  

Goals

• Challenge the stigma surrounding mental health in sports
• Provide visibility tools like green ribbon gear to empower athletes, coaches, and fans to advocate for mental wellness
• Design a scalable solution that schools could easily distribute for campus-wide impact during Mental Health Week
  
  

What We Delivered

Each of the 250 custom-curated boxes was packed with thoughtful, symbolic items designed to both start conversations and show support, including:

• 200 Helmet Decals
• 100 Hair Ties
• 100 Lapel Pins
• 1 Spool of Green Ribbon
• 100 Iron-On Patches
• 800 Temporary Tattoos
• 200–300 Wristbands
• 1 Branded Postcard with campaign messaging
  
  

Every item proudly displayed Hilinski’s Hope’s signature green ribbon or the “3” symbol honoring Tyler Hilinski—a powerful visual reminder that mental health matters, and no athlete is alone.

“These boxes remind our student athletes (and also include our marching bands—they make every game SO much better!) how much they need to take care of not just their physical health but their mental health too.”
— Kym Hilinski

Our Process

This collaboration brought together a wide range of College Hill’s services:

• Custom design work that stayed true to Hilinski’s Hope’s mission and visual identity
• Hands-on assembly to ensure each box was curated with care and intention
• Reliable fulfillment and logistics that ensured kits arrived in time for campus activations
• Thoughtful kitting that made large-scale distribution easy for schools and programs

The Impact

• 88,000+ student athletes engaged in mental health awareness events
• 275+ schools and organizations activated the campaign
• Every U.S. state represented in Mental Health Week participation
• Thousands of pieces of green ribbon gear worn as visible signs of support
  
  

“Last year, we sent 250 boxes to schools in all 50 states… The visibility this gear brings—from helmet decals to lapel pins—has appeared on TV, in highlight reels, and across social media. It’s not just during the games that the message spreads, it’s what happens between them that creates lasting change.”
— Kym Hilinski

“To put a finer point on the impact, the numbers for the 2 weeks prior and 4 weeks beyond the second Saturday are very clear: Over 130 stories written, 550M impressions, and $6M worth of advertising equivalency.”
— Kym Hilinski

Each item distributed carried a message of unity, encouragement, and advocacy. These boxes weren’t just filled with merchandise—they were filled with purpose.

“A dad and his daughter went to a football game… At halftime, a PSA played saying, ‘we support the mental health of our students and athletes…’ That moment sparked a meaningful dialogue between them about mental health—15 seconds that opened the door to a lifelong conversation.”
— Kym Hilinski

The Bigger Picture

Since first joining forces with Hilinski’s Hope, College Hill has proudly helped raise over $30,000 through collaborative merchandise efforts—helping fund programming, outreach, and education focused on student athlete mental health.

“Tyler would be very proud of the work CHT and H3H are doing (albeit a bit embarrassed too). Tyler and our Mental Health Boxes are creating awareness, beating down stigma, and in his favorite word, it’s all just ‘AWESOME.’”
— Kym Hilinski

What’s Next

Together with Hilinski’s Hope, we’re exploring future opportunities to keep the conversation going and the impact growing:

• Continued development of Mental Health Week kits
• Creation of peer-led advocacy tools and custom educational content
• Launch of new co-branded merchandise collections to benefit H3H and their mission
  
  

We’re committed to using branded merchandise as a tool for good—amplifying important causes, uniting communities, and inspiring change.