What is 988 Day?
Day of Action
988 Day is a Day of Action held annually on 9/8. The goal of 988 Day is to raise awareness and positive buzz about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline through a variety of creative activities spearheaded by communities, organizations, and individuals.
2026 Theme
988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough. This theme reminds us that you don’t have to be in crisis to reach out to 988. Whatever you’re facing, big or small, your reason for seeking support is reason enough. Share your reason this #988Day.
988 Day is About You
988 Day is about your creativity, engagement, and voice! A successful day of action is based on everyone’s involvement and vision.
988 DAY TOOLKIT
Our toolkit is a resource meant to support, educate, and help spread awareness about #988Day. It includes downloadable materials, images, and information to amplify our message of “988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.”
Build Engagement
Explore and discover new ideas of how to activate, engage, and uplift people, organizations, businesses, schools, and others this 988 Day.
- Host a 988 awareness walk (30-60 minutes) at a local park or downtown area. Partner with 1-2 local businesses to provide water/snacks
- Organize chalk art activities* in public spaces: provide chalk and stencils for 988 messaging, mindfulness quotes, or hopeful messages
- Lead a themed fitness class (Zumba, yoga, or walking group) with a 10-minute mental health awareness segment featuring 988
- Hold a moment of silence at 9:88 AM (9:28 AM) on September 8th at your workplace, school, or faith community with a brief 988 announcement
- Host an open mic night (1-2 hours) focused on mental health stories, recovery, or hope. Provide 988 materials at registration.
- Create a Messages of HOPE wall and encourage passerbys in your community or school to share encouraging, mental health-themed notes on sticky notes or paper in a shared space like a library, school, gym, workplace, etc. Use prompts such as:
- “My message of HOPE to others is…”
- “Something that helped me find HOPE was…”
- “I’m glad I’m here for…
- Run a contest with clear categories: poster design, video creation, or sticker design. Set deadline for Friday before 988 Day
- Organize a rock painting event (2-3 hours) where participants create hope-themed rocks with 988 information to place around community areas like parks or other high-traffic areas.
- Post information (flyer or small postcard) about 988 Day and the 988 Lifeline on community message boards (commonly located in libraries, coffee shops, or community hubs to display information about upcoming local events)
- Organize a poster competition
- Create a 988 Day playlist (10-15 songs) on Spotify or SoundCloud with uplifting music. Include 988 info in the description and use #988Day when sharing
- Use trending formats to promote 988: Try “15 reasons to call 988” in 15 seconds, or “POV: You have 988 saved in your phone” videos
- Share or create your own downloadable coloring pages with 988 branding – post completed versions and encourage followers to print, color, and share their own
- Create 30-second videos showing yourself placing 988 materials at coffee shops, gyms, or libraries (with permission)
- Find and take photos/videos at existing 988 billboards, bus stops, or signage in your area and share with #988Day (can also double as a scavenger hunt)
- Send a direct message to 3-5 influencers you follow, asking them to post about 988 Day. Include sample text like “988 provides judgment-free support 24/7 – save it in your phone today.”
- Follow up once after 3-4 days if no response.
- Even one influencer sharing can reach hundreds or thousands of people
- Update your profile banner to include “988 Day – Sept 8” and post a story encouraging followers to do the same
- Design simple graphics using Canva templates and use on social media: profile banners, Instagram story templates, or photo frames, filters, etc.
- Add 988 to your phone contacts and post a screenshot encouraging others to do the same
- Post daily countdown starting one week before (Sept 1-8) with a different 988 fact each day
- Cross-post your 988 Day content to one new platform you don’t usually use (choose from: LinkedIn, Nextdoor, TikTok, Discord, Reddit, BlueSky, Mastadon)
- Create a “988 Facts” series** with 5-7 posts throughout the week (e.g., “988 is available 24/7,” “988 has chat and text options”)
- Tailor your 988 message to specific communities you’re part of: veterans, parents, students, professionals, etc.
- Launch a photo challenge: Ask followers to find and photograph 988 messaging in their community (billboards, bus ads, etc.) and share with #988Day
- Share the 988 toolkit in 2-3 online communities you’re active in (Facebook groups, Discord servers, gaming communities)
- Hold a “Check-in Challenge” or “My Real Selfie”
- Coordinate with faith leaders to include a 2-3 minute 988 announcement during services on September 8th weekend
- Moment of Silence or Intentional Prayer
- Dedicate a moment during services to pray or reflect for those experiencing emotional pain or in need of help.
- Include a visual slide or verbal reminder: “Help is always available — call or text 988.”
- Faith & Mental Health Sermon Series or Guest Speaker
- Invite a mental health professional or a clergy member with lived experience to speak about mental wellness and faith.
- Tie into themes of hope, compassion, and seeking support.
- Use scripture to frame mental health as compassionate help.
- Set up an information table after services on September 8th with 988 materials, local mental health resources, and volunteers to answer questions
- Host a 988 Day event at your place of worship: prayer service, discussion group, or community meal focused on mental health and hope
- Consider holding remembrance events or starting other stigma reduction initiatives; involve youth pastors.
- 988 Bookmark-Making Station
- Create bookmarks with 988 messaging and a faith-based affirmation (e.g., “You are not alone,” “God walks with you”).
- Hand out to congregants or include in bulletins.
- Faith Family Mental Health Pledge
- Encourage families to sign a simple pledge to support open conversations about mental health at home and share 988 info with others.
- Partner with Other Local Faith Communities
- Organize a joint event or social media campaign with neighboring churches, mosques, synagogues, or temples to show interfaith support for mental wellness.
- Request 988 Day proclamations from city council, county commissioners, or state officials by emailing 3-4 weeks before September 8th (use provided template), or host a 988 Day at the Capital event.
- Provide draft proclamation text highlighting the importance of mental health awareness and 988 accessibility.
- Proclamations create official recognition and can be shared on social media and with local media for broader impact.
- Contact local media (radio, TV, newspapers) with press releases about 988 Day activities in your area by August 25th.
- Add 988 Day information to your organization’s newsletter with a 100-word blurb and key facts.
- Reach out to newsletter editors you subscribe to with a brief email suggesting 988 Day coverage (provide sample content from toolkit or create your own)
- Contact sports teams (professional, college, high school) via social media or email to request 988 Day shout-outs during games or on social media.
- Meet with local business owners to discuss displaying 988 materials in lobbies, restrooms, or break rooms. Consider coffee shops, pizza places, bars, and others.
- Post 988 flyers in break rooms, bathrooms, or bulletin boards you pass daily.
- Launch a student contest with 3 categories: poster design, 30-second video, or social media content. Announce winners on Friday, September 5th with small prizes
- Host a bracelet-making session during lunch or after school where students create 988-themed friendship bracelets to share with peers
- Coordinate a school-wide color day where students and staff wear teal and purple on September 8th. Send announcement to parents/guardians in advance
- Organize window/sidewalk decoration using washable paint or chalk. Assign different classes or grades specific areas to decorate.
- Distribute 988 stickers to students during lunch, at school events, or through teachers or counselors for students to personalize notebooks/laptops.
- 988 Classroom Challenge
- Provide teachers with a short 5–10 minute 988 mini-lesson or video to share during advisory/homeroom.
- Include a discussion question like: “How can we support a friend going through a hard time?”
- “Did You Know?” Morning Announcements
- Share daily facts or myths about mental health and the 988 Lifeline during the week of Sept 3–6.
- Allow student leaders to read them to increase engagement.
- 988 Awareness Door Decorating Contest
- Let homerooms or clubs decorate classroom doors with 988 info and supportive messages.
- Judges can select a winner based on creativity, impact, and inclusion.
- Leverage campus traditions and student life
- Collaborate with the Communications, Campus Public Safety, Wellness, and other departments to spread awareness.
- Encourage use of de-stigmatizing language in communications.
- Peer-to-Peer Pledge Board
- Encourage students to take a mental health ally pledge and sign their name to a large display.
- Sample pledge: “I will listen without judgment. I will ask for help when I need it.”
- Share recognition and gratitude
- Collect thank you notes or video clips, compile, and share with your local crisis contact center
- Create a “wall of gratitude” either in-person or virtually
- Create spaces for self-care and/or reflection
- Encourage or sponsor wellness spaces to rest and recharge
- Include music playlists, coloring books, aromatherapy, puzzles, etc. to help decompress
- Host a wellness session or other support
- Bring in trauma-informed experts for a session on art therapy, mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, or resiliency
- Bring in therapy dogs for the day
- Introduce 988 Day Peer Nominations or Awards
- “Compassion Champion” or “Listener’s Light” awards based on peer nominations.
- Give them a certificate or small physical token to honor their model work.
- Amplify 988 counselor stories
- Partner with local media to highlight the work of 988 counselors (make sure to ensure confidentiality)
- Humanize the role, emphasize lived experiences of many, and explain what a day in the life looks like
- Explain the impact of this work from both the help seeker and 988 counselor perspective
Note for Users
For some, images will download as .webp rather the original formats (.png or .jpg). This will primarily affect PC users and those using browsers like Chrome, which are trying to compress the files for faster download. To convert back to original format, you can try one of the following methods.
- Using Paint (Windows):
Right-click the .webp image and choose “Open with” > “Paint”
In Paint, go to “File” > “Save As” and select “PNG picture”.
Choose a location and name for the file, then save. - Using Chrome Extensions:
Install the “Save image as Type” extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Open the webp image in Chrome.
Right-click the image and select “Save image as Type” > “Save as PNG”. - Using Online Converters:
Search for “.webp to png converter” in your browser.
Upload the webp image to the online converter.
Download the converted .png file.
Brand Assets
Find the 988 Day logo, logo and theme lock up in English and Spanish, and branded photography to get your creative juices flowing.
Digital Content
Spruce up your Zoom backgrounds or use these animated GIFs!
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Email Content
Join us on September 8th (9/8) to spread awareness, reduce stigma, and make compassionate care accessible to anyone in need.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 for anyone in emotional distress, facing substance use challenges, or even loneliness.
On 988 Day, we’re inviting everyone to help amplify this critical resource. Over the coming weeks, we’ll [share, invite, plan …fill in with what you are planning for 988 Day].
We look forward to creating a memorable #988Day with all of you.
988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.
Save the date: 988 Day is 9/8
It’s a national day of action to raise awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and show what compassionate care looks like in action.
Whether through a campaign, a conversation, or a single post, your outreach can help connect more people to life-saving support.
Mark your calendar and start planning how you’ll show up.
Let’s lead together and ensure no one faces mental health challenges alone. Save the Date for 988 Day.
988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.
988 Day is September 8th and is for showing up — and caring out loud.
Mental health matters. And 988 provides judgment-free support 24/7. On 9/8, help spread the word that help is just three numbers away.
Post. Share. Text. Check in. However you show up, it counts.
Need ideas? We’ve got you. The 988 Day toolkit is live — packed with sample posts, graphics, and ways to get involved.
988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.
Acompáñenos el 8 de septiembre (9/8) para generar conciencia, reducir el estigma y hacer que la atención compasiva esté al alcance de quien la necesite.
La Línea 988 de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis está disponible 24/7 para cualquier persona que enfrente angustia emocional, problemas relacionados con el consumo de alcohol o drogas, o incluso soledad.
En el Día 988, invitamos a todos a ayudar a ampliar este recurso fundamental. En las próximas semanas, vamos a [compartir, invitar, planear… escriba aquí lo que esté organizando para el Día 988].Esperamos crear un #988Day memorable con todos ustedes.
Asegurémonos de que las personas sepan que la Línea 988 brinda ayuda compasiva. En cualquier momento. En cualquier lugar.
Reserve la fecha: El Día 988 es el 8 de septiembre.
Es un día nacional de acción para generar conciencia sobre la Línea 988 de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis, y para mostrar cómo cobra vida la atención compasiva.
Ya sea a través de una campaña, una conversación o una simple publicación, su alcance puede ayudar a conectar a más personas con un apoyo que salva vidas.
Marque la fecha en su calendario y comience a planificar cómo participará.
Lideremos juntos y asegurémonos de que nadie enfrente en soledad los problemas relacionados con la salud mental. Reserve la fecha para #988Day.
Ayuda compasiva. En cualquier momento. En cualquier lugar.
El Día 988 se celebra el 8 de septiembre (9/8) y es una oportunidad para estar presentes y demostrar en voz alta que esto nos importa.
La salud mental importa. La Línea 988 de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis brinda apoyo sin juicios 24/7. El 8 de septiembre, ayúdenos a difundir que la ayuda está a solo tres números de distancia.
Publique. Comparta. Envíe un mensaje de texto. Comuníquese. No importa cómo participe, su presencia cuenta.
¿Necesita ideas? Estamos para ayudarle. El kit de herramientas del Día 988 ya está disponible y repleto de publicaciones de ejemplo, gráficos e ideas para participar.
Ayuda compasiva. En cualquier momento. En cualquier lugar.
Print Assets
Note that digital includes just the PDF. Print includes PDF and a file for printing, including bleed marks.
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Social Media Assets
Take a peek at the various social media assets we have assembled to help prompt conversation, spark individual social responses, and organizations own ideas for 988 Day and National Suicide Prevention Month.
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Trusted Content
Want to help get a state proclamation made for 988 Day? Need school announcements or language to explain 988 Day? We’ve got you covered.
Use this template to create a Messages of HOPE wall and encourage people in your community to share encouraging, mental health-themed notes in a shared space like a library, school, gym, workplace, etc.