Man traveling to all 50 states to find resources for youths facing depression

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A California man is traveling across the country in an RV to help youth battling depression.

Billy Gains, the founder of the organization Battle of the Gains is traveling to all 50 states in an RV to find resources to help young people between the ages of 15 and 25 struggling with depression.  

"People of all ages need help, but especially the 15 to 25 age group," Gains told FOX 9. "There are so many battles right now and so much pressure by the world, and so we hope to help age."

A recent CDC analysis of mental health and substance abuse revealed that young people between the ages of 18 and 24 are more likely to suffer from depression from the pandemic than any other age group.  

It’s a topic Gains says he knows all about as he was inspired by his own battles with anxiety, and his friends, who would openly discuss their journey in dealing with depression. That’s part of the reason why he says he’s putting in the groundwork in each state. His goal is to create a national database for people to reach out for help no matter where they are. 

"A lot of the things that helped me when I was dealing with it while going through school and starting a business was just to find mentors," said Gains. "That’s one of the initiatives that we want to start with Battle of the Gains across the country. We want to have chapters in every state where people can reach out if they need help."  

Gains started his journey on March 15 and Minnesota marks state number 42 and it’s all because he wants the youth to know they’re not alone. 

"You don’t know what people are going through," said Gains. "Everybody is going through a struggle that you don’t know about so just be kind and nice to people. That’s one of the things we want people to know."