Face It Foundation

Leveraging the power of peer support, Face it works with men to recover from depression and to prevent suicide

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Pictured in the banner above is the outside of Face It Northwoods, our newest program offering. Prior to taking on Northwoods in January of 2023, Face It offered one men's retreat a year which could accommodate 20 men. This meant each year over 225 men in our program were unable to access these "life-changing" and "life-saving" weekends. Knowing firsthand how important a Face It retreat is in the recovery from depression and suicide prevention work we are focused on, we took the plunge and acquired Northwoods.

As we began our journey with Northwoods in 2023, things got off to a bit of a rocky (or should I say snowy) start as the weight of that years record snowfall collapsed the 40x40 garage on the property, but we remained determined! Oh and there was the slight issue of the HVAC system failing in February, but hey we remained undeterred! And those pesky 2' ice dams we acquired in the purchase ruined our ceilings, window frames, and one breakaway ice dam even ended up going right through a window! And I guess it is worth mentioning that under the weight of all the snow and wind, the property suffered a tremendous downing and loss of trees, but in good "never give up" Face It fashion, we pushed forward! 

The good news in all of this is we have had the capable hands of 100's of volunteers helping us as we rebuilt! Since the spring of 2023, over 1000 hours of volunteered time by the men of Face It have occurred. These men have stepped up to help us completely rebuild and reshape what has become "their" retreat center!  During these times together, not only have hammers been pounding nails, guys have shared stories, laughs, and developed the deep friendships that go so far in helping a man in the depths of depression. Before Northwoods even opened its doors for a retreat, it was helping guys out!

Now that Face It Northwoods has been completely remodeled, retreats started in May of this year. Between the first retreat in May and the end of 2024, nearly 200 individuals will have had the opportunity to experience a Face It Retreat and we are just getting started! My words don't do this place justice, but below is a note from a guy who has experienced Northwoods firsthand, he can tell you what this place means....

Northwoods turned out to be bigger project and financial commitment than we ever imagined it being, but the reward has been far greater than we could have ever hoped.   As we come to you this year requesting your support of our work, please note ALL FUNDS DONATED DURING "GIVE TO THE MAX" DAY will be used for the ongoing operation of Face It - Northwoods exclusively.   For Face It this means more retreats, more programs, more men served, and more lives changed and saved.               

The gratitude both Bill and I feel for all of you runs deep. As Face It enters its 16th year of operation, I remain in awe of how all of you in our community have stepped up to help support this work.  And please know our commitment to use your financial support wisely and prudently is as strong as ever. And as you can see, Face It keeps pushing forward with innovative and effective ways to help the men who walk through our door. I hope you will join in and share our vision of saving and changing men's lives through the power of Face It Northwoods!

With deep gratitude and love,

Mark and Bill