It's Free to Dream Foundation

We spoke with Ken Steeves, President of It's Free to Dream Foundation, about the upcoming It's Free to Dream Gala on December 14th to support suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and youth mental health in Connecticut.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Ken Steves. He is president of
its Free to Dream Foundation. Good morning, good morning, thank
you for having me. You bet. For those who don't
know about It's Free to Dream Foundation, how did it
come about?

Speaker 2 (00:17):
For a long time, I saw first hint how many people,
especially young people in those chasing big dreams, struggle silently
with mental health talents. Right now in the United States,
suicide is actually the second leading cause of death for
youth ages ten through twenty four. I've personally lost family
members and friends suicide, and I've had my own battles
with self doubt and mental health over my lifetime. So

(00:39):
those moments taught me how powerful it can be when
someone simply reminds you that your life has value, that
your dreams matter, it's okay to ask for help. So
I wanted to build something that made a message louder,
a foundation that could bring hope, connection, real support to
people who feel unseen or overwhelmed. So It's Free to
Dream is about giving the courage to people to keep going,

(00:59):
to know that you're not alone, and to understand that
mental wellness is just as important as physical health, and
I also saw many existing organizations and groups that need
either a larger platform, awareness and support, and I knew
we can align ourselves somehow with these groups to hopefully
make a greater impact together.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
This foundation was created in honor of your mother, Randy
Ma Steves. How does her legacy live on through this work?

Speaker 2 (01:22):
My mother had the biggest heart. It was one of
the most caring people that, obviously I've ever met. So
through this foundation, you know, her spirit continues to shine.
Every program in person we support reflects her belief that
everyone deserves a chance to pro see their dreams, whether
that's providing opportunities, mentorships, community support, wor caring for the
value she lived by, which you know, compassion, resilience, and

(01:44):
hope for words that come to mind. So her legacy
lives on. You know that we can make this possible
to this free dream at the heart is a reflection
of who she was and what.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
She said for Why did you choose the name It's
Free to Dream?

Speaker 2 (01:57):
I really appreciate you asking that question. You're one of
the first people ask me that. It's a little personal
to me. When I was a kid, each Sunday, my
family would go to church, and we were in the
lower social income class and you know, didn't have much
of money, and our our treat each Sunday was to
go to lunch each week at the church and my
mother would buy a one dollar powerball ticket and after

(02:19):
buying a ticket, she would, you know, then say all excited, Okay,
what is you know everyone going to get if we win?
And being a realist, I would often ask her, you know,
why would she waste a dollar on something that will
never happen and that was waste of time? And her
response to me was maybe you're right, but it's always
free to dream. And I use that as a kind

(02:39):
of hope to always, you know, chase your dreams regardless
of what the circumstances. So It's free to dream is
a reminder that no matter what you've been through, your
dreams and your life still hold limitless potential. That belief
is what keeps me going and it's what I want
to share with others. So in short, if I could
use one word to describe the name, it would be hope.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Hmm. I love that. And if people go to It's
free to Dream dot org, they can see all of
the programs and services that you offer.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
That's right, Yeah, So our goal is to respond, strengthen
the community for well being, and provide file support and
services through three key partner organizations. We're working with Boys
and Girls Village, Bridges Healthcare, and Navvy. Boys and Girls
Village provides behavior, health, education and family support services that
can help children and families. Bridges Healthcare delivers comprehensives mental

(03:30):
health and addiction recovery services improve overall community wellness, and Navvy,
one of my favorite, supports youth and young adult membership, mentorship,
skill building and pathways to success. So we're trying to
unite these three organizations other one fundraising effort and we
aim to create a stronger, healthier community here locally, to
start one that empowers individuals to achieve stability, growth and

(03:53):
helps for lasting success.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
So you have a major event coming up, the It's
Free to Dream Gala on December fourth What can people
expect that evening?

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Guests attending the Free Dream gallon December fourteenth expect an
unforgettable evening of inspiration, celebration, community impact. The night's going
to feature a cocktail reception, an elegant dinner, live entertainment,
and a powerful program highlighting stories of resilience and transformation.
So guests are going to hear a firsthand from individuals
whose lives have been positively changed throughout our programs, as

(04:26):
well as a special guest speakers who can share their
vision for a part of future that they see. And
in addition to the heartfelt moments, the evening will include
exciting lives and silent auctions, opportunities to connect with community leaders, lanpetrists,
and a few surprise performances that can capture the spirit
of dreaming big. So it's not really just a galla,
it's a celebration of what's possible. We've all come together

(04:48):
and hopefully make dreams.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
Of reality beautiful. Your keynote speaker, Kevin Hines, maybe give
us a little bit about his story if you could.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah. Absolutely. Evan Hines is a world renowned mental health advocate,
bestselling author, documentary filmmaker who survived the suicide at him
after jumping off the Golden Greate Bridge in two thousand.
Since that life changing moment, he has dedicated his life
to spreading a message of hope, resilience, and the power
of connection through his story. Kevin Inspuyer's audience is literally worldwide,

(05:19):
recognize the importance of mental health wellness, open a dialogue,
and cut support. So I think where our journeys kind
of align. I mean, Kevin's journey really reflects our mission
to foster hope, break the stigma surrounding mental health, and
ensure that no one faces their struggles alone. His powerful
testimony reinforces the idea that recovery is possible and every
life has a purpose and a value. But by sharing

(05:40):
his experience, Kevin helps you advance our commitment to creating
a passionate, supportive community where people can find health, healing
and hope.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
So someone would like to be a sponsor, what could
they do?

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Big? To start by visiting us is free to dream
dot org. That's our website. This is actually where you
view the tickets and sponsorship levels the upcoming gala. We
have opportunities to dedicate a page in our program book
to a loved one. They could showcase organization our program book,
have someone speak at the event potentially. But on the
website it's free to dream dot org. More details to

(06:14):
be found there about all contact us directly of what
these builble options.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Are and how much our tickets to attend.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
The tickets are two hundred fifty dollars for a individual.

Speaker 1 (06:24):
I'm speaking with Ken Steves. He is president of It's
Free to Dream Foundation. Again that web address it's free
to Dream dot org. The event is taking place Sunday,
December fourteenth, from five to nine at Racebrook Country Club
and Orange Delicious food, live music, raffles, silent auctions and more.
Kevin Hines is the keynote speaker. You don't want to

(06:47):
miss this event again, please go to it's free to
Dream dot org. Ken, thank you so much for being
here today and for serving the community.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
I appreciate you having me. Alison