Our Mission

What is Out of Despair?

More than a listening ear.
A community of hope.

Out of Despair is a faith-inspired 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Shelton, Connecticut, dedicated to walking alongside children, youth, adults, and families facing emotional distress, isolation, grief, family conflict, and suicidal despair.

Founded in 2025, our organization was built on a simple conviction: no one should have to navigate life's darkest moments alone.

We offer compassionate mentorship, emotional and spiritual support, family guidance, and connections to professional resources. But our commitment goes beyond conversations.

We help individuals rediscover their interests, build meaningful relationships, develop healthier habits, and reconnect with their communities. Whether through a cooking class, creative arts, physical activities, nutritional guidance, or consistent one-on-one mentorship, we seek practical opportunities to help people rediscover purpose, belonging, and hope.

We also walk alongside families navigating separation, divorce, and other challenges, providing support to parents while helping children process difficult emotions in a safe, caring environment.

Our services are offered at no cost to those we serve, subject to available resources, and without discrimination based on religious beliefs. Prayer and spiritual support are available to those who welcome them.

Because compassion is more than something we feel. It's something we put into action.

What We Believe

Three commitments.
One calling.

Compassion Without Condition

We show up without judgment. Whatever you're carrying, you are welcome here exactly as you are.

Come as you are.

Rooted in Community

No individual walks alone, and neither do we. Our strength is the network of care we build together.

Healing was never meant to be done alone.

What Your Support Makes Possible

Your generosity.
Their opportunity to rediscover hope.

Compassion begins with listening, but it doesn't end there.

At Out of Despair, we believe that meaningful change often happens through small, intentional steps: a new friendship, a supportive mentor, a healthier routine, an opportunity to discover a talent, or a family finding its way back to understanding.

Our team works to understand the unique challenges, interests, and needs of each person we serve. Through personalized mentorship and practical assistance, we seek to create opportunities for connection, confidence, personal growth, and renewed hope.

Financial contributions help us provide and expand the following support, always at no cost to those receiving our services.

Discovering Purpose Through Meaningful Activities

Isolation can make emotional struggles feel overwhelming. We help mentees identify personal interests and explore activities that may bring enjoyment, confidence, and connection.

Depending on individual needs and available funding, this may include:

  • Cooking classes with professional chefs
  • Pottery, painting, and other creative arts programs
  • Jiu-jitsu and other appropriate self-defense or fitness activities
  • Gym memberships and fitness programs
  • Other supervised recreational and educational experiences

Our goal is not simply to pay for an activity. It's to help someone discover a place where they belong.

Whenever appropriate, two mentors may accompany the mentee to their first few sessions, offering encouragement and helping them become comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.

As the mentee develops confidence and independence, our team continues providing regular mentorship, encouragement, and follow-up.

Nutrition, Healthy Habits, and Well-Being

Emotional well-being and physical health are closely connected.

We encourage healthy eating habits, proper hydration, and physical activity, recognizing that caring for the body can be an important part of overall wellness.

Through connections with qualified nutrition professionals, we seek to provide individualized education and guidance that help mentees better understand nutrition and develop sustainable, healthy routines.

Donor support can help make professional nutrition consultations, educational resources, and related wellness activities more accessible to those who might otherwise be unable to afford them.

These services complement, rather than replace, appropriate medical or mental health care.

Supporting Parents and Protecting Children's Emotional Well-Being

Family conflict, separation, and divorce can create tremendous emotional strain, especially for children who may feel caught between the people they love most.

Our team provides compassionate, nonclinical mentorship to parents navigating difficult family circumstances, encouraging healthier communication, thoughtful decision-making, and a greater awareness of how adult conflict may affect children.

When additional professional support is needed, we encourage and help connect families with appropriate licensed counselors, therapists, and other resources.

At the same time, other trained team members may provide age-appropriate mentorship and emotional support to the children.

With appropriate parental consent, safety procedures, and supervision by at least two authorized team members, children may participate in positive experiences such as art workshops, pottery classes, museum visits, or other suitable activities.

Our purpose is to support the family as a whole, helping parents navigate difficult decisions while ensuring that children feel heard, valued, and supported.

Ongoing Mentorship and Personal Connection

Every person has a story. We take time to listen.

Our mentorship is built on genuine relationships, consistency, compassion, and respect. Rather than offering a single conversation and walking away, we seek to maintain meaningful contact and encourage progress over time.

Mentors help individuals identify personal goals, explore healthy interests, develop community connections, and access appropriate resources.

For those who desire it, we also offer prayer, biblical encouragement, and spiritual companionship.

Our mentors do not replace licensed mental health professionals or emergency crisis services. We work to connect individuals with specialized care whenever their needs go beyond our role.

Helping Families Access Additional Resources

Sometimes the next step toward hope requires assistance beyond what our organization can provide directly.

We help individuals and families identify appropriate community services, mental health resources, professional counseling, family support programs, and other forms of assistance.

When possible, we help them understand the next steps and connect with those resources rather than simply handing them a phone number.

Because finding help shouldn't be another burden someone has to carry alone.

Every contribution helps turn compassion into action.

Your generosity helps make mentorship, enriching activities, professional guidance, family support, and meaningful community connections possible.

Together, we can help more people move beyond isolation, rediscover their interests, strengthen their relationships, and experience the hope that comes from knowing they matter.

Give Today

What Sets Us Apart

What makes Out of Despair different from other crisis services?

We don't just encourage connection.
We help make it happen.

When someone is overwhelmed by despair, even the simplest step forward can feel impossible.

Joining a class alone. Walking into a gym for the first time. Reaching out to a counselor. Trying to rebuild relationships. Finding something to look forward to.

At Out of Despair, we understand that encouragement is important, but sometimes people need someone willing to take those first steps alongside them.

That's where our mentors come in.

We take time to understand the person behind the struggle: their interests, fears, relationships, challenges, and hopes. Then, together, we identify meaningful opportunities to reconnect with life and community.

Sometimes that means helping someone enroll in a cooking class and having two mentors attend the first few sessions. Sometimes it means helping a parent navigate a painful separation while another two members of our team support their child. Other times, it means connecting someone to nutrition education, counseling, or a healthier daily routine.

We believe that lasting support is personal. It requires patience, intentionality, and genuine relationships.

Our work complements professional mental health and crisis services by offering ongoing, nonclinical mentorship and practical support.

We don't promise to solve every problem. We promise to approach every person with dignity, compassion, and a sincere commitment to helping them find their next step forward.

Because hope often begins when someone realizes they no longer have to face life alone.

How It Started

Born from faith.
Built on compassion.

Out of Despair was born from a shared calling to serve people who are hurting, struggling, and searching for hope.

Long before our organization was formally established in 2025, the desire to comfort and support people facing life's most difficult circumstances was already deeply rooted in the hearts of those who would become its founders.

When a member of our community was lost to suicide, the urgency of that calling became even clearer.

A question remained:

What if someone had been there to offer support, connection, and encouragement before despair became unbearable?

Through prayer, a shared commitment to serving others, and a desire to put faith into action, Out of Despair was established by Ana Jimenez-Nunez, Irsia Jimenez, Iris Genao, and Gisell Peguero.

Together, we believe that every person is created with purpose, every life has immeasurable value, and compassion should move us beyond words and into meaningful action.

Our Christian faith is the foundation of our mission. We believe God calls us to love our neighbors, comfort those who are hurting, and serve others with humility and sincerity.

We welcome and serve individuals from all faith backgrounds, without making religious participation a condition of receiving support.

What began as a shared burden for those experiencing despair has grown into a mission of mentorship, family support, spiritual encouragement, and practical assistance.

We are not here to receive recognition. We are here to serve, and to invite others to help us extend that service to more people.

"Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Every life matters

Every story deserves compassion. Every person deserves the opportunity to find hope.

Every Dollar Is Presence

Help us reach the next person.

Out of Despair runs entirely on the generosity of people who believe no one should face their darkest moment alone.

The People Behind the Mission

Our Leadership

A team united by one conviction: that hope is never out of reach, and that every life matters.

Founding Team

Ana Jimenez-Nunez

Ana Jimenez-Nunez

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Irsia Jimenez

Irsia Jimenez

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Iris Genao

Iris Genao

Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer

Gisell Peguero

Gisell Peguero

Co-Founder & Vice President of Marketing

Board of Directors

Our board members serve without compensation — donating their time, expertise, and resources to guard and protect the heart of this mission. Their dedication is a blessing and a gift to everyone Out of Despair serves.

Fabienne Desir

Fabienne Desir

President / Chairperson

Yamillet Rooney

Yamillet Rooney

Treasurer

Bridget Jacabacci

Bridget Jacabacci

Secretary

Irsia Jimenez

Irsia Jimenez

Board Member / COO

We're Growing

Serve Alongside Us

Our board is made up of people who believe that hope is worth fighting for. If that conviction resonates with you, we'd love to hear from you.

Get in Touch

We Are Here

You don't need the right words.
You just need to reach out.

203-441-3052

Call or text — any time.

In immediate danger? Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 911.