Dear Friends and Supporters of HuntersWorld:
As you may have heard, 2025 has brought some big changes to HuntersWorld.
Despite extensive support from so many of you and a great deal of effort put into finding & applying for grants, we have faced some significant funding challenges. Unfortunately, the lack of funding has forced us to pause our weekly peer mentoring program. That said, we have never shied away from a challenge! So as we move away from our weekly meetings, we are focused on potential new possibilities for HuntersWorld. We have spent countless hours researching and fine tuning our model - and we will pursue partnerships with other like minded organizations with the facilities and the staff in place to support our programming. Our model is something that we can teach, and we are dedicated to increasing our visibility and presence in the community.
We’ve been busy over the last month supporting our mentors and participants, who are understandably heartbroken about this development. We have had meetings sharing the news and seeking their input about next steps as we start this next chapter. We also hosted our largest ever social event where all past and present participants came together to reminisce, share stories and reflect on their journey at HuntersWorld. Through their laughter and tears, we were reminded of the impact HuntersWorld has had on the lives of teens in our community. As we make this transition, our commitment to supporting teen mental health remains unwavering, so we have decided to create a new HuntersWorld scholarship program! Our new program will focus on awarding scholarships to youth pursuing an advanced degree in a mental health profession.
It is with this in mind (and the enthusiastic support of our teens) that we have decided to continue the tradition of holding our 4th Annual HunterFest 5k & Festival on April 27th in Liberty State Park. This year’s event will fund our new scholarship program, allowing us to continue supporting the emotional education of our teens while keeping them looking forward to this date when we get to meet again. It’s also an opportunity to pivot our program in a way that is more sustainable.
What began five years ago with a deep desire to honor Hunter’s life has surpassed all expectations and evolved into an organization that continues to change the lives of teens. Hunter’s legacy does indeed live on! So as we said to our teens, this is not goodbye but see you later - because we will continue to evolve to meet their needs. Thank you so much for your ongoing support during the first 5 years of this incredible journey - here’s to many more.
Stay tuned! We are excited about the future of HuntersWorld!
#HuntersWorld
A Teen Mentoring Program Created & Driven by Teenagers
When my son Hunter died, I wanted to do something to honor him and the love we have for each other. The idea for HuntersWorld was actually born out of a heartfelt conversation between me and some of his closest friends. We spoke about him, what we missed most about him, and the common thread was the way he made us feel. He made us laugh, he made us think and in his effortless and genuine way he made us feel loved. He would make the effort to talk to you, comfort you and support you in the way you needed it most. That’s a tough act to follow, but it’s what we strive for everyday at HuntersWorld – creating a safe place where teens can come to feel all of those things.
The last 5 years have been a journey filled with so many conflicting emotions. I miss my son every minute of every day, and at the same time I feel so full of love and pride for all of the mentors who I get to watchi blossom in ways I could never have imagined. They are brave, they are kind and they are so dedicated to each other and to this place. Our program is now full of teens who don’t even know Hunter – yet they feel drawn to this place with the same loyalty as those of us who knew and love him. These mentors give me hope that I can navigate this painful journey with love – because they have created a place that has put my son’s heart on display for the world to see. I can’t wait to see how far we can go, how many teens we can reach and how much Hunter’s heart will change the world.
Hunter was fearless and outgoing and had an unforgettable sense of humor. More than that, he was a staunchly loyal friend with a gift for making those around him feel safe, heard and accepted. His friends and family missed this so much, they came together and created #HuntersWorld.
2024 HunterFest 5k
