BROTHER LAUNCH NONPROFIT
By Texas Student Media/The Daily Texan and HQ Staff
Photo: The Daily Texan
Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity members launched the Bridge to Wellness Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free counseling and reintegration resources to underserved Texans. The organization welcomed its first client into counseling on Sept. 3, 2025.
“What this program is, it’s a godsend,” said Dr. Charles Nemeroff, a professor of psychiatry at Dell Medical School. “It’s an attempt by Texas students to help provide mental health care to those most in need.”
Bridge to Wellness Vice President Owen Sullivan ’24 said the organizations they partnered with deliver six weeks of free online counseling. This is followed by connections to job placement, housing, and addiction recovery programs. By partnering with other nonprofits, Bridge to Wellness works to address root causes of instability while ensuring clients have long-term support after therapy ends.
The organization collaborates with the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) and Synergy eTherapy.
“We are a nonprofit that is actively trying to branch nonprofits around Austin together,” said Blake Gonzales ’24, president of Bridge to Wellness. “Not one nonprofit organization can ever fix poverty or homelessness, but the more nonprofits we have working together, the more we’ll be able to increase the accessibility and help around Texas.”
Lisa Lovelace, founder of Synergy eTherapy, a nonprofit that offers therapy online, will help community members who are unhoused with deeper, long-term problems like anxiety, depression or substance abuse.
“What they’ve done here is just remarkable,” Lovelace said. “It could be very much a blueprint for other students in high school, college and beyond to realize the impact that they’re making by connecting people with the right resources.”
Nemeroff said it is difficult for people to maintain employment or daily responsibilities when facing mental health struggles.
“We’re really trying to bridge the gap where they can get accessibility to it, so they can get back on their feet and live more productive lives,” Sullivan said.
One of the organization’s clients began the program and secured a job interview. Ryder Maraquin ’24, secretary of Bridge to Wellness, said he was excited about this.
“It’s spectacular to see the effect of all the work that we’ve been putting in come to fruition,” Maraquin said. “Seeing the dedication, commitment and just her overall enthusiasm about getting into this program and doing her first session — it made me really proud to be a part of this.”
The organization is working with one client at a time to start but plans to expand to multiple clients. Drew Noonan ’24, treasurer of Bridge to Wellness, said the nonprofit hopes to expand across the state.
“We want to have an impact on as many people as possible,” Noonan said. “If we have a solution that is tried and true and tested, we want to share that solution with as many people as possible.”
For more information, go to bridgetowellnessfoundation.org or contact the brothers at
Connect@bridgetowellnessfoundation.org.
Behind the Scenes
By Blake Gonzales
While involved with Texas student government, I led a fundraiser for ARCH homeless shelter.
During the event I asked one of the leads at the shelter what she felt the homeless community in Austin was lacking. She immediately said mental health support, which is expensive and hard to find.
I started contacting online counseling organizations such as BetterHelp and 7 Cups to see who would be willing to build a mental health program with us.
In February 2025, we partnered with Synergy E Therapy because of their trained psychiatrists and psychologists.
We officially launched in April after finalizing federal and state forms along with a memorandum of understanding with Synergy and our original Austin shelter partner Urban Alchemy. We have since pivoted to working with Sow Family Foundation with the same goal in mind.
We offer a six-week online counseling program for unhoused individuals in Austin. They are referred to us through Sow Family Foundation.
During the program, we provide free sessions ranging from job coaching to housing support. We want them to have the resources needed to improve their lives.
Along with Drew, Ryder, Owen, Brandon Cowling ’24 is one of our lead volunteers. In early 2026, Charlie Weiner ‘24 was added to the board as our fundraising chair. He will help us raise awareness — and funds — for the operation’s growth.
With nearly $30,000 raised by the close of 2025, expansion is already in the works. We have recently gained a new partner group, The Other Ones Foundation, whose purpose is to run programs that offer dignified work, emergency shelter, case management, and pathways to permanent housing and vocational training.
Texas Alpha has contributed to our nonprofit with almost 20 volunteers — brothers who all care and want to help with the cause. Without the support system around us we would not be able to accomplish the great work that has been done so far.