What Live Free 999 does

Live Free 999, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation operating as a dedicated fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). Founded in 2020 by Carmela Wallace following the December 2019 death of her son, the rapper Jarad 'Juice WRLD' Higgins, the organization funds and partners with mental health and addiction treatment organizations serving young people and underserved communities in the United States. Its grantee ecosystem includes NAMI Chicago, Shields for Families, Crisis Text Line, Gateway Foundation, Live for Lali, Respond Now, Bring Change to Mind, Youth Outreach Services, 100 Black Men of Chicago, and A Place Called Home. The foundation's programmatic surface comprises a crisis-text-line partnership (text LF999 to 741741), the 999 Stories storytelling platform, founder-led speaking engagements, and a merchandise store whose net proceeds benefit the foundation.

The foundation generates no software product, holds no patents or proprietary technology assets, and does not operate an API or developer platform. Its economic model is straightforward donation-based fundraising complemented by merchandise net proceeds, with all operational fundraising mechanics — payment processing, compliance, and back-office functions — handled through the umbrella Entertainment Industry Foundation structure. Marketing and audience reach are community-led, relying on Instagram, Facebook, and X organic channels, the annual Juice WRLD Day event, and the founder's speaking appearances at venues such as the Mental Health America Conference and the Hollywood & Mind Summit. The foundation's operating scale is intentionally lean: five employees housed under the EIF umbrella, with total grants dispersed in 2023 of $11,500 across grantee partners and a new corporate headquarters planned in the Chicagoland area.

Name

Live Free 999

Legal name

Live Free 999, Inc.

Website

https://livefree999.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Live Free 999 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that funds and partners with mental health and addiction treatment organizations serving young people and underserved communities in the United States. Founded in 2020 by Carmela Wallace, it operates as a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Advocacy Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Mental health advocacy
• Addiction treatment support
• Nonprofit foundation
• Crisis counseling services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Success

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Live Free 999 operates as a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The organization raises funds through donations from individuals and distributes grants to mental health and addiction treatment organizations. All donations support programs helping people with anxiety, depression, and substance dependency.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Live Free 999 is a nonprofit foundation that funds and partners with mental health and addiction treatment organizations to provide preventative mental health services and pathways to overcome substance dependency. The organization facilitates access to free crisis counseling through its partnership with Crisis Text Line (text LF999 to 741741), operates the 999 Stories community storytelling platform, and raises donations to channel grants to supported treatment organizations.

Product overview

Live Free 999 is a non-profit foundation (a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation) that operates as a charitable organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include a crisis text line partnership (text LF999 to 741741), grant funding for mental health and addiction recovery organizations, a storytelling platform called 999 Stories, speaking engagements by founder Carmela Wallace, and merchandise sales. The organization does not operate a software platform or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mental Health Crisis Support Services Free 24/7 crisis counseling access facilitated through Live Free 999's partnership with Crisis Text Line. Individuals experiencing mental health crises can text LF999 to 741741 to reach a trained Crisis Counselor for support.
• Grant Funding Program Live Free 999 funds and partners with organizations providing preventative mental health services and effective pathways to overcome substance dependency, targeting young people and underserved communities. Supported grantees include NAMI Chicago, Shields for Families, Crisis Text Line, Gateway Foundation, Live for Lali, Respond Now, Bring Change to Mind, Youth Outreach Services, 100 Black Men of Chicago, and A Place Called Home.
• Merchandise Store Online store selling branded merchandise where 100% of net proceeds are channeled to the Live Free 999 foundation to support its mental health and addiction recovery mission.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Free 999 is a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. EIF is a Charity Navigator Four Star Charity that meets all 20 Better Business Bureau charity standards and carries the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
• Crisis Text LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Free 999 has partnered with Crisis Text Line to offer free crisis counseling. Individuals can text 'LF999' to 741741 to reach a compassionate, trained Crisis Counselor. The organization's Chief Health Officer, Dr. Shairi Turner, serves as Chief Health Officer at Crisis Text Line.
• NAMI ChicagominorOthersNational Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago is one of the organizations supported by Live Free 999 grants.
• Gateway FoundationminorOthersGateway Foundation is one of the organizations supported by Live Free 999 grants for addiction treatment services.
• Youth Outreach ServicesminorOthersYouth Outreach Services is one of the organizations supported by Live Free 999 grants, focusing on helping young people.
• 100 Black Men of ChicagominorOthers100 Black Men of Chicago is one of the organizations supported by Live Free 999 grants, focusing on underserved communities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Born This Way Foundation: Co-founded by Lady Gaga, Born This Way Foundation focuses on youth mental health, kindness, and reducing stigma. It mirrors Live Free 999's celebrity-founded, youth-focused mental health advocacy model with storytelling campaigns, partnerships, and grantmaking to aligned organizations.
• Crisis Text Line: Crisis Text Line is a 24/7 text-based crisis intervention service and a Live Free 999 grantee/operational partner. Both organizations deliver mental health crisis support services to young people, with shared leadership (Dr. Shairi Turner serves as Chief Health Officer at both).
• Gateway Foundation: Gateway Foundation is one of the largest nonprofit addiction treatment providers in the U.S. and a Live Free 999 grantee. Both organizations are mission-aligned around evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, with the foundation acting as a funder rather than direct provider.
• Bring Change to Mind: Bring Change to Mind is a mental health nonprofit co-founded by actress Glenn Close that focuses on ending stigma and encouraging conversation about mental health. It is one of Live Free 999's grantees and shares a celebrity-anchored storytelling-driven advocacy approach.
• MusiCares: MusiCares is the music industry's nonprofit safety net, providing health, financial, and rehabilitation resources to music professionals. Both organizations channel celebrity/artist-driven philanthropy toward mental health and addiction recovery, operating as 501(c)(3) foundations with strong music-industry ties.

Broad incumbents

• Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF): EIF is the umbrella 501(c)(3) under which Live Free 999 operates as a fund. While EIF is a much larger, multi-cause foundation, it provides the shared administrative, compliance, and donor-processing infrastructure that defines Live Free 999's operating model.
• The Jed Foundation (JED): JED is a leading nonprofit protecting emotional health and preventing suicide among teens and young adults. It shares Live Free 999's focus on youth mental health prevention, evidence-based programming, and partnerships with schools and community organizations.
• Mental Health America: Mental Health America is the nation's leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to mental health and wellness, where Live Free 999's founder has spoken publicly. Both organizations champion evidence-based prevention and the public conversation around mental health.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): AFSP is the largest suicide prevention nonprofit in the U.S., funding research, advocacy, and survivor support. Live Free 999's mission around mental health and addiction prevention for young people is directly aligned with AFSP's prevention and awareness work.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the U.S., providing advocacy, education, support groups, and public awareness. Its Chicago chapter (NAMI Chicago) is a Live Free 999 grantee, and both organizations pursue overlapping mental health advocacy missions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LiveFree_999
• Facebookfacebook.com/Live-Free-999-108019994804095
• Instagraminstagram.com/live.free.999
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/livefree999

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Live Free 999