Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC
Director of Communications
/Editor of The Sphinx
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
ewebb@apa1906.net
Cell: 443-635-5911
Justin Barbo
PR Director
The Jed Foundation
Cell: 914-844-4611
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Partners with The Jed Foundation (JED)
to Strengthen Mental Health Support of Members and Community
Initiative offers expert support and guidance to promote young adult emotional health and prevent suicide.
[May 21, 2026, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND & NEW YORK] — Fraternities and sororities shape the college experience for hundreds of thousands of students, and they can have a powerful impact on the emotional well-being of their members and broader campus communities. Today, Alph Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. announced its new partnership with The JED Foundation to protect mental health and prevent suicide among its members through participation in The JED Greek-Letter Organizations (GLO) programs. The Fraternity is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), also known as the Divine Nine (D9), comprising nine historically Black Greek-Letter Organizations.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 20-24. Among young Black men ages 20-24, the suicide rate increased by 47% between 2018 to 2024, and for the first time in history, the suicide rate among young black men surpassed that of their white peers in 2024.
GLO provides evidence-informed guidance to fraternities and sororities committed to promoting emotional well-being and preventing suicide. JED’s GLO partnerships with fraternities and sororities — including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority, Inc., Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. — and higher education institutions like Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania represent nearly 1.2 million college and lifetime members.
These partnerships aim to:
Founded at Cornell University in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established by African American men. The fraternity was initially established as a study and support group for minority students. Since its founding, Alpha Phi Alpha has initiated more than 300,000 members across nearly 900 chapters internationally.
“As part of our promise to confront mental health challenges within our Brotherhood, we have partnered with The Jed Foundation to create programs designed specifically for Alpha men,” said Lucien J. Metellus, Jr., general president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.. “When the opportunity was presented in December, we acted quickly and secured Board approval in January. We are now moving to address these real issues impacting our members. This partnership gives us hope, strength, and a path to support every Brother.”
JED GLO programs build on the JED report, Fraternities and Mental Health: Supporting Emotional Well-Being Among Members and Across Campus, which highlights how fraternities can impact mental health on college campuses. The report provides key recommendations for improving the emotional well-being of fraternity members and other students across campus. While fraternities can positively impact mental health by providing belonging and social connection, fraternity membership can also increase certain risky behaviors such as alcohol misuse and hazing participation, highlighting the need for programming that provides support for building healthy fraternity environments.
“JED recognizes that fraternities and sororities are powerful communities for connection, leadership, and identity development. This makes them essential partners in advancing student mental health and well-being on and off campus,” said Dr. ShirDonna Lawrence, senior manager of JED’s Greek-Letter Organization Programs. “This partnership strengthens Alpha’s enduring mission and advances JED’s work in culturally responsive, community-centered mental health promotion. Together, this collaboration demonstrates how intentional engagement with fraternity and sorority life can drive meaningful impact at both the individual and organizational level.”
To learn more about JED’s Greek-Letter Organizations Programs, email greek@jedfoundation.org or visit JED’s website.
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The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and is headquartered in Baltimore, MD. The Fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; late former Congressman Adam Clayton Powell; late former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; legendary activist, actor and performer, Paul Robeson, former Ambassador Andrew Young; late former Senator Edward Brooke; scholar, Cornel West; Senator Raphael Warnock; Congressman Steven Horsford, former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; General CQ Brown, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; seven other members of the U.S. Congress, numerous state, and local lawmakers across the United States, as well as President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Boakai, Sr. The fraternity, through its more than 720 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, serves communities in the United States, and other parts of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools, colleges, school districts, and youth-serving community-based organizations to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
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