"I  have experienced how dark life can get, how it feels to be alone and not knowing what better even felt like. Through my lived experiences, education and healing, I've become a messenger of hope in the community," said Jared Lombardi '23, '24 MSW, DRCC.  

If you look closely enough, you can see beams of hope shine through Lombardi's words as he speaks freely and honestly about the path he has walked and his passion for helping others who suffer in silence.  

"I have struggled with mental illness and substance abuse in my life. These struggles have led me to self-harm, attempt suicide, and suffer a traumatic brain injury," Lombardi recollected. "After enrolling in a behavioral health treatment program and maintaining sobriety, I've realized that my purpose is to help others feel acknowledged, valued and supported."

Compassion in Community

Lombardi looks to the community to help him continue on a path of recovery. Giving back and helping others supports his own healing.

"Providing life-saving discussions and services in our community has given me the strength to continue to move forward and confidently state that there is always hope," he shared.  

To raise awareness about suicide prevention, Lombardi founded The Positive Pursuit in 2019. He attends community events, health fairs and other large activities to bring conversations about mental health front and center.

"I decorated a table typically not associated with the topic to start conversations and raise awareness. The bright yellow sunflowers created a welcoming atmosphere, drawing community members to the table, where important suicide prevention resources and meaningful discussions were taking place, offering support and hope to anyone passing by," Lombardi noted. "With the help of the community, 6,500 sunflowers have been distributed to health care facilities, behavioral health agencies, educational facilities, businesses and faith-based organizations to allow the community to share a smile."

He also serves on the planning committee for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Atlantic/Cape Walk, where he helps raise awareness and funds in Atlantic and Cape May counties.  

He is also an event coordinator for Angels in Motion, N.J. This non-profit organization organizes and hosts outreach events to provide essential services to the most vulnerable populations, including food, clothing, and treatment services. 

Another cause that Lombardi is actively engaged in is the Hope for the Holidays event that is held in Atlantic City. He assisted in organizing and collecting toys throughout Atlantic County, resulting in over 500 of them being gifted to children in Atlantic City, providing them with a safe space to create positive memories with their loved ones.

A Unique Stockton Start

Lombardi is candid about his unconventional road to Stockton, showing that you are never too old to follow a new career path that makes you happy.   

In June 2020, he was rear-ended at a traffic light, which led to his second traumatic brain injury in less than three years, resulting in permanent spinal cord damage. This set into motion many life changes, as he would have to leave his current job because he could no longer meet the requirements it entailed.   

In the following year of treatment and rehabilitation, his cognitive therapist referred him to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, which provided the funding for Lombardi to attend an educational facility.

 

"My first experience at college in 2006 was the first time I attempted to kill myself, so being allowed to attend college again was a second chance at living the life that stayed in my dreams but was never seen as a reality," he recalled. "I chose Stockton because of how highly my father spoke of it being an alumnus of the first graduating class. To this day, I have my acceptance letter hanging in a frame because of its significant meaning in my life."

"When preparing for Stockton, I was enrolled in the Learning Access Program, which accommodated my needs due to my cognitive impairment from the accident," Lombardi said. "The Learning Access Program supported me in achieving my academic success during the Bachelor's in Social Work program. I am grateful for the dedicated staff at the Learning Access Center, who helped me to seek growth in the face of adversity." 

It's no surprise that Lombardi gravitated toward Active Minds, a non-profit organization that promotes mental health at Stockton—so much so that he was president for two years. This was a pivotal time during the peak of isolation and the pandemic, and it was very much a mental health crisis. 

"I was able to get a head start on implementing creative mental health initiatives on campus while the Stockton community was still coping with symptoms caused by the long period of isolation and fear. The Student Development department played a significant role in these initiatives' success by providing a positive support system for the Active Minds chapter," he shared. "During my presidency, I actively pursued collaboration with various clubs, departments and diverse student groups on campus. I enhanced my cultural understanding by interacting with diverse students and faculty dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging in the university community. The feedback I gathered strengthened the mental health initiatives I implemented off-campus. This information was not acquired in a classroom but through the experiences fostered by the inclusive environment at Stockton." 

On the heels of earning his master’s degree in Social Work in May, Lombardi received the Harvey Kesselman Alumni Impact Award. The amount of love, support and inspiration he has poured back into his community is undoubtedly a testament to why. There is a sense of genuine gratitude and authenticity that comes through his accomplishments and goals for the future. And the common thread is one of appreciating life and helping others to have the opportunity to do the same.

"In the next five years, I see myself developing a beautiful family with my wife and living in our dream home with a wrap-around porch and a fenced-in backyard for my dog to run freely. I look forward to playing a vital role in my children's healthy development. I see myself achieving the titles of License Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and License Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC)," he beamed. "I will continue to seek to reverse current trends in completed suicides and drug overdoses while reducing the stigma associated with getting help for one's mental health and substance use in our community. I will continue to instill hope in the community through my strategic initiatives while using my voice to empower healing in our community. For now, I aim to live each day one at a time and to be grateful for all the beautiful things I have in my life."