SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation

What SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation does

SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 in Newark, Delaware, in memory of Sean Locke, a former University of Delaware basketball player who died by suicide. The organization delivers youth mental health services to teens and young adults ages 14-24 across northern Delaware through three program pillars: Educate, Assist, and Support. Its core service infrastructure includes Sean's House, a 24/7 crisis support facility at 136 West Main Street staffed by trained peer supporters and mental health professionals, and four Sean's Rooms located in partner high schools and community centers (Saint Mark's High School, Salesianum School, Saint Georges Technical High School, and The Warehouse).

The foundation's central technology is the Peer24 Support Program, which trains young people with lived mental health experiences to volunteer as Peer24 Support Specialists providing peer-based crisis intervention. Complementary offerings include Mental Health Scholarships (funded by donations starting at $224) that connect uninsured or underinsured youth to professional mental health services, and the SL24 Speaks educational outreach program aimed at every Delaware zip code. The organization also runs an e-commerce merchandise shop and an annual event portfolio including the SL24 Basketball Classic, Bump Set Light volleyball tournament, and Gather & Grow Delaware youth mental health summit.

SL24's revenue model is donation-driven, with income from individual donations, corporate sponsorships (including a recurring revenue partnership with Simplified Payments), event fundraising, and merchandise sales. Services are provided at no cost to beneficiaries. The organization is led by Executive Director Zach Ryan, co-founded by Sean Locke's family (Chris Locke and Kat Locke-Jones), and governed by a Board of Directors drawn from the Delaware business and professional community. As of mid-2025, the foundation had served 37,400+ visitors at Sean's House, trained 317 peers, conducted 4,550 peer sessions, and served 153 crises.

Name

SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation

Legal name

SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation

Website

https://unlockethelight.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free youth mental health crisis support, peer support training, and scholarships to teens and young adults ages 14-24 in northern Delaware through Sean's House and four Sean's Rooms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mental Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Youth mental health support
• Peer crisis intervention
• Mental health scholarships
• Suicide prevention programs
• Community mental health events

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations starting at $224 provide mental health scholarships and support Sean House operations. Donors receive recognition on SL24's website and a gold '24' lapel pin.
2. Merchandise Sales: SL24 branded merchandise including hoodies ($30-$40), t-shirts ($20), hats ($25), accessories ($1-$10) sold through the online shop to raise funds and promote awareness.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual signature events including SL24 Basketball Classic (raised $710,124), Bump Set Light volleyball tournament, golf outings, and spotLIGHT games generate significant fundraising revenue.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Simplified Payments partnership provides recurring monthly contributions when businesses become clients. Sponsorship tiers (Presenting, ACE, Light, Set, Bump) at events support specific program costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SL24 delivers free youth mental health support services to teens and young adults ages 14-24 through physical safe havens (Sean's House and four Sean's Rooms) staffed by trained Peer24 Support Specialists with lived mental health experience. The foundation supplements crisis support with Mental Health Scholarships for uninsured/underinsured youth, the SL24 Speaks educational outreach program, and signature fundraising events that sustain operations.

Product overview

SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mental health organization founded in 2018 in memory of Sean Locke. The organization operates a portfolio of programs centered on three pillars: Educate, Assist, and Support. Core offerings include Sean’s House (a 24/7 crisis support center), Sean’s Rooms (school-based mental health spaces), the Peer24 Support Program (peer specialist training), and Mental Health Scholarships. The foundation also operates an e-commerce shop selling branded merchandise and organizes signature fundraising events including the SL24 Basketball Classic and Bump Set Light Volleyball Tournament. The organization is headquartered at 136 West Main Street, Newark, Delaware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sean’s House: A 24/7 mental health safe haven providing crisis support and peer support services for young people ages 14-24, located at 136 West Main Street, Newark, Delaware.
• Sean’s Rooms
• Peer24 Support Program

Products and services

• Sean's House A 24/7 mental health safe haven and crisis support center for young adults ages 14-24, located at 136 West Main Street in Newark, Delaware. Provides access to mental health professionals, trained peer supporters, and crisis intervention services.
• Sean's Rooms Smaller-scale mental health support spaces located in local high schools and community centers, providing safe and supportive environments for teens to access peer and clinical mental health support.
• Peer24 Support Program Training program that equips young people with lived mental health experiences to become Peer24 Support Specialists who provide peer support to those in crisis at Sean's House and Sean's Rooms.
• Mental Health Scholarships Financial assistance program providing uninsured or underinsured youth with access to professional mental health services at no cost, funded by donations starting at $224.
• SL24 Online Shop Online merchandise store selling SL24 branded apparel and accessories (hoodies $30-$40, t-shirts $20, hats $25, accessories $1-$10) to raise funds and awareness.
• SL24 Basketball Classic Annual signature basketball tournament fundraiser bringing together athletes, coaches, sponsors, and volunteers to raise funds for SL24's mental health programs.
• Bump Set Light Volleyball Tournament Annual volleyball tournament fundraiser held in Dewey Beach, Delaware, with amateur and pro pools, live broadcast, and proceeds supporting SL24 programs.
• Gather & Grow Delaware Youth Mental Health Summit Youth Mental Health Summit engaging and empowering young people to break down stigmas around mental health, featuring keynote speakers, personal stories, and youth leader platforms.
• SL24 Speaks Educational outreach program equipping youth with knowledge to recognize mental health challenges, find support, and take steps toward wellness, with the goal of educating every zip code in Delaware.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37,400+ visitors served at Sean House
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Simplified PaymentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSimplified Payments partnership identifies business clients as Simplified Giving participants for SL24's Mental Health Scholarship. Each month, Simplified Payments automatically delivers a portion of processing fees directly to SL24, providing recurring monthly contributions while offering businesses cost-effective payment processing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crisis Text Line: Nonprofit providing 24/7 crisis support via text message. Comparable to SL24's 24/7 crisis service commitment and youth-focused mission, though delivered through a digital channel rather than a physical safe haven.
• JED Foundation: Nonprofit that partners with high schools and colleges to strengthen mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programming. Highly comparable to SL24's school-based Sean Room model and youth mental health mission.
• Active Minds: Student-led nonprofit creating mental health awareness and peer-to-peer support on college and high school campuses. Comparable peer-driven model and education-linked youth focus to SL24's Peer24 program.
• Born This Way Foundation: Nonprofit co-founded by Lady Gaga supporting youth mental health and kindness. Comparable youth mental health focus, peer-led programming orientation, and use of storytelling/brand for awareness.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): National suicide prevention nonprofit funding research, education programs, and survivor support. Comparable to SL24 on suicide prevention mission and community fundraising events, with much larger national scope.
• Sandy Hook Promise: Nonprofit delivering school-based violence prevention, mental health, and youth empowerment programs. Comparable to SL24's Sean Room school-embedded model and youth wellbeing mission, founded in response to a personal loss.
• The Trevor Project: National nonprofit providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth. Directly comparable to SL24 on youth-focused mental health crisis services and 24/7 access, but operates at much larger national scale.

Emerging players

• Hope For The Day: Nonprofit focused on mental health education and suicide prevention through community outreach. Comparable in youth mental health education programming (akin to SL24 Speaks) but smaller-scale and music/community-event driven.

Broad incumbents

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): National grassroots mental health advocacy and support organization. Comparable in nonprofit mental health education, peer support, and community-based programs, but at a much larger national scale and broader scope than SL24's Delaware focus.
• Child Mind Institute: Large nonprofit providing clinical care, research, and education on children's mental health. Overlaps with SL24 on youth mental health education and access, but operates as a broader clinical and research institution rather than a community safe-haven model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SL24UnLockeTheLight
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnLockeTheLight
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sl24-unlocke-the-light
• Instagraminstagram.com/unlockethelight

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation