1. Founder's JourneyJudith Lin Sullivan immigrated from Taiwan to the United States in 1986. For over 30 years, she often contemplated how she could one day give back to Taiwan. However, amidst the busyness of starting and managing her own business, she lacked a concrete vision. In recent years, as her business operations became more stable and no longer required her daily oversight, she began discussing with like-minded friends and family how they could contribute resources to support their home community.

2. Social Trends and the Rise of Depression With the rise of social media today, people are constantly comparing themselves with others—whether it’s about success, happiness, or fulfillment. Many adults, to varying degrees, face issues of dissatisfaction and unhappiness, and depression has increasingly become a common condition of our time. Economic downturns and growing disillusionment in society have further contributed to a surge in depression rates. It is estimated that around 20% of adults in Taiwan experience some form of depression, and tragic cases of suicide are not uncommon. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a noticeable increase in depression among teenagers. Many parents struggle to understand how a once energetic and cheerful child could suddenly withdraw and lose interest in learning. Some believe it’s merely an act or attempt to avoid responsibility, and may respond unhelpfully—comparing them to those "worse off" or urging them to "just focus on studying and stop overthinking. "Such responses often delay professional treatment, allowing mild cases to worsen into severe depression, ultimately prolonging recovery.

​

3. Insights from a Diverse Environment Living in a multicultural environment in the U.S. for decades, Judith experienced many principles and practices that promote mental and emotional balance. For example, she learned the importance of balancing exploration (the desire to seek novelty and adventure) and exploitation (the comfort of familiar, predictable routines). Constantly chasing new experiences can lead to confusion and distraction, while staying too comfortable may result in laziness and a loss of vitality. She also developed a deep appreciation for the power of physical activity, eventually incorporating regular exercise into her daily life. On her frequent trips back to Taiwan, she began hearing from friends and neighbors about their struggles with depression. Judith made an effort to visit and care for these individuals, accompanying them to medical appointments and encouraging them to adopt regular exercise. Surprisingly, this simple form of support led to significant improvements—many people either showed great progress or fully recovered.

 4. Discovering a Critical Gap As Judith delved deeper into this field, she found that although many organizations exist both in Taiwan and abroad, very few offer proactive outreach services. In response, she began experimenting with different methods of reaching out to individuals with depression within Chinese communities in North America. These efforts were met with positive feedback. Judith’s strengths proactivity, sincerity, natural warmth, patience, and genuine care are not only essential in the service industry, but are exactly the qualities needed for those engaging in outreach and compassionate care.

5. Establishing the Foundation Together with supportive friends and family, Judith decided to formally establish the foundation, gradually putting their shared vision into action. Because the foundation was created to give back to society, they made the intentional decision not to solicit public donations. All funding comes from Judith personally. Additionally, the foundation does not rely on unpaid volunteers. Everyone who works for the foundation is considered a professional staff member and receives fair compensation. Field workers are paid based on local social service industry standards and are compensated according to their training and work hours. Board members, however, do not receive salaries.

 6. Caring for the Caregivers While many cases of depression can eventually heal over time, the recovery process requires close attention to daily needs and suicide prevention. This places a heavy burden on caregivers, who—without proper support—may themselves fall into depression. This often-overlooked reality is a core reason behind the foundation’s mission: to support and share the burden with caregivers. The foundation provides a range of services to families and loved ones of those with depression, easing their physical, emotional, and financial stress. Together, we help patients emerge from the darkness of depression, regain their health, and build positive lifestyle habits that reduce the risk of relapse.

​

7. A Philosophy of Active Living Interestingly, people who are overly idle may also suffer from mental fatigue—a lack of motivation and passion for life. When one has too much free time and lacks meaningful activity, it leads to a slow but real drain on the spirit. That is why everyone should understand that to live a healthy life, regular exercise is essential. By understanding the roots of depression and taking action to address it, we can ultimately overcome it and enrich our lives. The foundation hopes to share valuable experiences of joyful, healthy living with others and to inspire a brighter, more resilient community.