top of page

Lean On Me

University of Maryland

Text (301)-494-8808 to connect with a peer Supporter.

Open 2 PM - 2 AM every day!

umd campus.jpeg

Our mission

Lean On Me strengthens communities by providing peer-to-peer text lines that allow for easy access to confidential non-crisis support. We envision a world where anyone can seek and receive emotional support.

Our chapter

Lean On Me at The University of Maryland, College Park is a chapter of Lean On Me, which was founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2015. To learn more about their impact or inquire about establishing a new chapter, visit their website here.

How our hotline works

Lean On Me allows students to talk to trained peer Supporters in a convenient and anonymous setting. To learn more about our training process, please click here.

typingindicator.png

1. Text our hotline

Text UMD’s hotline number whatever you’d like to talk about! This can range from brief messages such as “All of my friends are busy and I want someone to talk to” to a longer, more serious message. Our Supporters are here to listen and be there for you - the topic is your choice!

notification.png

3. Receive a reply

The expected wait time is just under 5 minutes. While the service is available at any time, please remember that Supporters are your peers, who lead their own busy lives and occasionally remember to sleep. So the wait time for a conversation sent in at 1:00 AM may be longer, and we thank you for understanding that!

exit.png

5. End the conversation

Conversations last for as long as you would like them to, and you can end a conversation with a Supporter at any time by texting “/bye” to the hotline. If you text again you will be matched with a new Supporter and they will not see what you wrote before.

handshake.png

2. Match with a Supporter

Once a text is received, all active Supporters will be informed that a request has come in, and within a few minutes you will be matched with one!

conversation.png

4. Have a conversation

You can now have a conversation with the Supporter! Feel free to text for as long as you like. If you ever feel uncomfortable with a Supporter text “/flag”, and we’ll match you with another! For a full list of commands, text “/help” to the hotline. Supporters never see your slash commands.

star.png

6. Provide feedback

Once a conversation ends, you will be asked to provide feedback, helping make the service better for future users. By no means is this mandatory, but we would really appreciate it. Your input will have a very real effect on the future of Lean On Me, and on changes we make to the service!

Meet our team

gavin.jpg
wix hover image.png

Gavin is a computer science major on the machine learning track. He loves rice!

Gavin Crisologo

He/Him

Co-President

Wren.jpg
wix hover image.png

Wren enjoys crocheting, thrifting, hiking, gaming, and spending time with friends! They're also involved with the UMD Gamer Symphony Orchestra and Hack4Impact-UMD.

Wren Poremba

They/Them

Co-President

amrutha_edited.jpg
wix hover image.png

Amrutha

is a freshman neuroscience major and data science minor on the pre-med track. She's members of both Moksha, a competitive Indian classical dance team, and The Scribe in AMSA, and she's on the exec board

of Remote Area

Medical!

Amrutha Alibilli

She/Her

Finance

Leon.jpg
wix hover image.png

Leon is a biology major on the pre-med track. He enjoys hanging out with friends and family,  watching movies, playing video games, or going to restaurants and cafes!

Leon Zhang

He/Him

Finance

sragvi_edited_edited_edited.jpg
wix hover image.png

Sragvi is a junior neurobiology/phisiology and psychology double major. She's in the UMD Orchestra, a member of UMD's SHAC, loves to read and bake fun desserts, and is vegan!

Sragvi Pattanaik

She/Her

Training Coordinator

Laurel.png
wix hover image.png

Laurel is a junior public health major with plans of getting a masters in Public Health: Environmental Science. She enjoys crocheting, concerts, spending time with friends, and nail painting! She runs the front desk at Johnson-Whittle hall, and is also involved in AMSA.

Laurel Montgomery

She/Her

Training Coordinator

riccy.jpg
wix hover image.png

Riccy is a

kinesiology major. She's

been a pediatric medical assistant for 5 years+ and is a member of UMD's Food Recovery Network! She has a lot of Harry Potter Funk Pops and loves Twilight, the Weeknd, to spend time with family, and try new food places!

Riccy Gonzales

She/Her

Training Coordinator

tanvi.jpg
wix hover image.png

Tanvi is a sophomore neurophysics major and business minor. She has been dancing since she was 5 years old!

Tanvi Bolarum

She/Her

Training Coordinator

Ella_edited.jpg
wix hover image.png

Ella enjoys spending time with my friends and family, working out, and spending time outdoors!

Ella Ashby

She/Her

Marketing Coordinator

Leo.jpg
wix hover image.png

Leo is a psychology major and LGBTQ+ studies minor. He's also a student worker at the LGBTQ+ Equity Center! He enjoys cooking and baking, playing guitar, and juggling!

Leo Osei

He/Him

Marketing Coordinator

Sneha.png
wix hover image.png

Sneha spends her free time at the gym, volunteering, or spending time with her friends and family! She also enjoys trying out new things!

Sneha Abraham

She/Her

Events Coordinator

bridget_edited.jpg
wix hover image.png

Bridget is a junior sociology and family science major. She's passionate about promoting positive mental health! In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, and road trips!

Bridget Fannon

She/Her

Supporter Coordinator

aliza.jpg
wix hover image.png

Aliza is a sophomore business info systems major pursuing a minor in sustainability. She loves Gracie Abrams and Conan Gray!

Aliza Syyid

She/Her

Supporter Coordinator

elli.jpg
wix hover image.png

Elli is a

psychology and

human development double major. She's a part of Alpha Phi Omega and a research assistant at the cognition and development lab! She loves crocheting and the outdoors!

Elli Papasava

She/Her

Merch Coordinator

Our impact

Follow us on Instragram

Yoga on Beach

Join Us for Sunset Yoga  

Come join us for some sylly week sunset yoga! Bring your own blankets and we'll bring the relaxing vibes! 

September 3rd, 2023

La Plata Beach

Become a peer supporter

Applications for new supporters open at the beginning of each semester! No prior experience is necessary, and all new supporters undergo comprehensive training.

lyingdownwhite.png

Let us Lean On You, so that more people can Lean On Us!

bottom of page