A LOCAL NONPROFIT IS WORKING TO CREATE A COMMUNITY CONNECTION RIPPLE EFFECT, AND ITS ALL THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. THANKS FOR JOINING US. IM ROB MCCARTNEY. IM JULIE CORNELL, LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES IS KICKING OFF THE FIRST ANNUAL HOLIDAY CHECK IN CHALLENGE. ITS AN EFFORT TO COMBAT THE STRESS AND FEELINGS OF LONELINESS SOME PEOPLE HAVE DURING THE HOLIDAYS. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVENS MADDIE AUGUSTINE IS GIVING US AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT THE CAMPAIGN AND WHY THE NONPROFIT SAYS IT CAN HELP SAVE SOMEONES LIFE. HOLIDAY LIGHTS ILLUMINATING THE NIGHT AND FESTIVE GIFT SHOPPING UNDERWAY. ITS A TIME OF YEAR MANY LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING WITH FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A TRIGGER FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR ADDICTION. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, IN 2023, NEARLY NINE OUT OF TEN AMERICANS SURVEYED SAY THEY FEEL MORE STRESS LATE IN THE YEAR AROUND THE HOLIDAYS. THE APA SAYS FINANCIAL PRESSURES, FAMILY DYNAMICS AND MISSING LOVED ONES ARE ALL FACTORS. AND EVE JARBOE, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR WITH LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES, SAYS LONELINESS AND LOSS ALSO PLAY A ROLE. HOLIDAYS ARE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REALLY START TO MISS A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMEBODY THAT USED TO BE PRESENT AND THEYRE NOT KNOWING THE HOLIDAY SEASON CAN BE ISOLATING. LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES IS LAUNCHING THE FIRST HOLIDAY CHECK IN CHALLENGE. WE ARE CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO A LOVED ONE, A FRIEND, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT THEY CAN THINK OF. MICHELLE GERDAS, CRISIS RESPONSE PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST FOR LFS, SAYS SHE STRUGGLED WITH HER MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND KNOWS HOW LONELY IT CAN FEEL. I ISOLATED MYSELF FROM LOVED ONES AND PEOPLE THAT WERE GOOD SUPPORTS FOR ME. NO MATTER WHERE I WAS IN MY LIFE. IF I WAS DOING WELL OR IF I WAS DOING BAD. GERDA SAYS THE HARDEST PART FOR SOMEONE WHO IS STRUGGLING IS REACHING OUT TO OTHERS, AND THATS EXACTLY WHAT THE HOLIDAY CHECK IN CHALLENGE IS WORKING TO CONFRONT. LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES SAYS THERES FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO THE CHALLENGE. FIRST, DECIDING TO PARTICIPATE BY REACHING OUT TO A LOVED ONE OR EVEN A NEIGHBOR. SECOND, GRAB YOUR PHONE AND RECORD A QUICK VIDEO OR WRITE A SHORT POST EXPLAINING WHY CHECKING IN IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. THEN UPLOAD IT TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA USING THE HASHTAG LFS CHECK IN. LASTLY, TAG OTHERS IN YOUR POST ENCOURAGING THEM TO REACH OUT AS WELL. LFS SAYS ITS A SMALL EFFORT THAT COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. MAKING THAT PHONE CALL MAKES A STOPPING BY KNOCKING ON THE DOOR MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. IT PROVIDES PEOPLE HOPE IT PROVIDES THEM A SENSE THAT TOMORROW IS BRINGING MORE MADDIE AUGUSTINE REPORTING. THE CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF TOMORROW AND RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, BUT LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES ALSO SAYS IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS STRUGGLING, CONTACT 988 TO GET IMMEDIATE HELP FINDING SUPPORT. FOR MORE INFORMATIO