Pineapple Support Celebrates 1st Year, Highlights Achievements
Adult industry mental health resource Pineapple Support is celebrating its first anniversary this month and sharing numbers that tell a story of growth and achievement.
According to the org, since its founding in April 2018, it has connected nearly 130 adult performers to vital mental health resources, including providing more than 40 performers with free or subsidized therapy. More than double that number have used the nonprofit’s active listening service.
“Pineapple Support was born out of the urgent need to provide adult performers with stigma-free and sex-work-positive mental health services,” says Leya Tanit, founder and president of Pineapple Support. “We are so grateful that so many people have come together to begin building a true resource for the adult industry workers.”
Pineapple Support, a U.S.tax-deductible 501(c)3 nonprofit, has no salaried staff. Funds raised have gone to therapists and treatment, outreach and awareness, and professional, technical and administrative services.
The currently reported stats are:
- Total Money Pledged: $87K
- Number of Performers Treated: 127
- Number of Therapy Sessions Subsidized: 400
- Number of Therapists Recruited: 29
- Number of Volunteers Trained: 133
- Number of Sponsor Companies: 21
- Number of Events Attended Globally: 11
- Number of Therapists Contacted: 1,250
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in just a year, but the need is vast,” said Tanit. “Because of the stigma associated with sex work, adult performers are at much greater risk for depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction and other mental health issues, but have fewer avenues to judgement-free care. As an industry, we can change this, but we need everyone to come together.”
Pineapple Support was launched by Tanit, a performer herself, in response to a string of losses in the adult industry from depression and other mental illness. Major adult companies have already stepped up to support the organization, including PornHub, ModelHub, xHamster, Kink.com, Clips4Sale, Gamma Films, Rabbits Reviews, WankzVR and others.
