The Ice Bucket Challenge is making a comeback on social media, but this time with a new purpose. Originally launched in 2014 to raise funds for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) research, the viral campaign is now being repurposed to address mental health awareness.
University of South Carolina (USC) students have reimagined the challenge through the #SpeakYourMIND campaign, launched in March 2025 by the Mental Illness Needs Discussion (MIND) club. The goal of this new initiative is to raise awareness about mental health issues while raising funds for Active Minds, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people and combating the stigma surrounding mental health.
Participants in the new Ice Bucket Challenge version are encouraged to pour ice water over themselves, share videos of the act, and nominate others to join the challenge. The goal is to highlight the importance of ongoing conversations about mental health.
Wade Jefferson, a third-year USC student who founded the MIND club after losing two close friends to suicide, explained that the campaign aims to normalize discussions about mental health and improve access to resources.
The ALS Association, which originally started the viral trend, has expressed support for the new campaign, noting that the spirit of the challenge is being revived for a different but equally important cause. “We are delighted to see the spirit of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge living in the form of a new activism,” the ALS Association said in a statement on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
As of mid-April 2025, the #SpeakYourMIND campaign has raised over $100,000 in donations. Notable public figures, including former NFL players Peyton Manning and Emmanuel Sanders, have also participated in the challenge, helping to further amplify the movement.
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