NEW YORK (PIX11) — Break out the buckets and the ice water. A group is reviving the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness about mental health. A group of students at the University of South Carolina has created the “Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge,” and videos are appearing on social media platforms. The students are part of an organization called MIND (Mental Illness Needs Discussion). The new campaign started at the end of March and is spreading using the hashtag “#speakyourmind” on Instagram and TikTok.
“Together, we can equip youth and young adults with the resources, training, and skills they need to advocate for lasting mental health change. By fundraising for Active Minds, we are showing the people in our life that their mental health matters, that we should be open about our mental health, and they should be able to seek the care they need,” say the organizers.
The students have partnered with Active Minds, which is a nonprofit working with youth and young adults to address mental health issues, treatment, and mindset for the past 20 years. They work in schools, on college campuses, and with civic organizations. Dr. Jeffrey Gardere is a board-certified clinical psychologist and says the activity helps spark a conversation and get people out of their comfort zone. “Spurring people into action. It says we are doing something silly with water and ice. But we are vulnerable and we can talk about something that might be difficult,” he said.
The goal is to encourage people to reach out if they’re concerned about a friend or if they need someone to talk to. Many states have resources and hotlines also available. In the New York area, people can call 988. The challenge has raised nearly $50,000 and earned thousands of views.
A new ice bucket fundraiser called the USC Speak Your Mind Challenge is spreading mental health awareness on TikTok and Instagram. Much like the original ice bucket challenge that raised funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, the new trend asks people to either donate, submit to the frigid water bath, or ideally, both. Donations go to the mental health nonprofit Active Minds. The hashtag #uscspeakyourmindbucket currently has over 560 posts, while #icebucketchallenge has over 35,000.
The trend started on March 31, 2025, when the University of South Carolina club MIND (Mental Health Needs Discussion) announced the challenge in an Instagram reel. Their goals are simple—to spread awareness and raise money to prevent deaths associated with mental health struggles. “Our main goals are breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, advocating for suicide prevention on campus, and promoting daily mindfulness,” says club founder Wade Jefferson. “At MIND, we believe conversations about mental health should be just as common and just as comfortable as conversations about physical health.”
To participate, all you need to do is record someone dumping ice water over you and tag two to five people to challenge them to follow suit when you post it. Donations are encouraged, especially if you chicken out. The inspiration for the new ice bucket challenge came from a personal story. Active Minds was founded by Alison Malmon in 2003 after her brother died by suicide in 2000. Brian Malmon was a popular kid, but he began to struggle with depression and psychosis in college. Although he received treatment for schizoaffective disorder, he hid his continuing depression instead of having the conversations that could have saved his life.
“Alison recognized that Brian’s story is the story of thousands of young people who suffer in silence; who, despite their large numbers, think they are totally alone,” the nonprofit’s website states. “A majority of mental illnesses start between ages 14 and 24 when teens and young adults are in school, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students.”
The USC Speak Your Mind Challenge took off on TikTok to the dread and horror of its users. The big thing right now is posting funny reactions to getting tagged, from weeping in your car to issuing not-so-subtle threats. In a video that’s hooked over three million views since April 15, user @campbell_h07 warned, “to the person who nominated me for the usc speak your mind challenge… better count your days.”
“When I see my fcka* friend nominated me for that usc speak your mind ice bucket challenge,” wrote @baylee.perkins over herself sobbing in the passenger seat. There are some people who are taking it seriously, however. Plenty of TikTokers got behind the message of supporting mental health, especially as the younger generations struggle more with this issue than any others. User @notsnehaha praised the trend, noting that “the usc speak your mind challenge is proof that we are ALL connected.”
On April 17, 2025, Active Minds, Inc. announced that the University of South Carolina's MIND club has launched a reimagined Ice Bucket Challenge focused on mental health. The #SpeakYourMIND Challenge has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, inspiring over 2,300 donations and raising more than $40,000 to support mental health resources. Wade Jefferson, a sophomore at USC and founder of the MIND club, said the campaign started as a random idea inspired by the original ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
“We wanted to bring that same energy to mental health. Watching it take off – seeing people we admire, like Peyton Manning, join in – has been surreal. We're proud, grateful, and just excited to see how far it's gone and continue to go,” he said.
Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds, stated this campaign is everything Active Minds stands for. “To see youth and young adults take an iconic viral moment and breathe new life into it for mental health advocacy is incredibly powerful. It's proof that when young people rally together with passion and purpose, they don't just raise awareness—they ignite a movement.”
Active Minds is encouraging youth and young adults across the country to keep the momentum going. The challenge is simple—and meaningful: grab a bucket, some ice, and a friend; record your challenge and tag three others to take it next; post on social media and tag @uscmind and @active_minds to be featured; include the donation link to support the work of Active Minds.
Just as the original Ice Bucket Challenge did for ALS, this version is turning awareness into action. Beyond the buckets and the contagious videos, it's about breaking stigma, building community, and making mental health a visible, valued part of everyday conversation. Participants are encouraged to share educational resources—including self-care tools, ways to offer help, and information to access crisis support—available at activeminds.org. Together, we're not just starting a challenge—we're creating a new era of mental health.
