Meet Jason Hopcus | Founder and President | Connection Project

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Hopcus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, how does your business help the community?

As we prepare to launch the Nobody’s Perfect Community, we’re focused on two goals: supporting youth and families, among our most vulnerable populations, through a free, publicly-accessible platform and placing more of them on a pathway to self-empowerment as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

We know we’re not the first to create an all-in-one hub for mental health resources, but the Community is innovative because we have an entire team of diverse, licensed mental health professionals dedicated to the validation of each resource that goes into it.

Regardless of who or where you are, youth, parents, caregivers, providers, and educators will be able to easily connect with others who find themselves in similar life circumstances, all while feeling empowered to lean on the resources and tools that work for them because they know their needs better than anyone else.

What should our readers know about your business?

My career began in the private sector, specifically in construction and real estate. And while I’m certainly grateful for the skills, relationships, and knowledge I’ve acquired from the private sector, my passion and purpose has been – and always will be – in service to others. After a trying mental health journey of my own and years of service as a volunteer, I was eventually asked to lead the National Alliance on Mental Illness for Arapahoe and Douglas Counties as President. Additionally, today I work alongside an army of other fearless mental health advocates and leaders who support the Nobody’s Perfect Community, an extension of the work I’ve led for the last several years as Founder of Connection Project.

Nothing about my journey, but more importantly, this work, has been easy. In fact, with the advancement of AI and evolving rate of the media landscape, it has become increasingly more challenging. But as we aim to meet the needs of youth, families, caregivers, providers, and educators everywhere who are tired of hearing the canned responses and knee-jerk statements about what we need to be doing when it comes to mental health, the Nobody’s Perfect Community is actually doing it. The truth is: awareness and conversations are simply the tip of the iceberg. The Nobody’s Perfect Community is focused on action and fueled by innovation, intentionality, and impact in support of our nation’s most vulnerable.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve spent the last 12 years in Colorado, with most of that time in the Denver Tech Center. My partner and I love trying new foods and checking out restaurants that pop up nearby. But in our spare time, we enjoy putting work into renovating our home and getting inspired by the countless ways we can design our space to better meet our evolving needs. As a host, I think we would likely spend time sharing our normal routine with a focus on fun and inspired conversations. Of course, no visit would be complete with some nature, whether it’s a hike or a mountain drive to explore more of the incredible sights Colorado has to offer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the entire Nobody’s Perfect Community team. The reality is, we’re creating something that is going to serve our nation’s most vulnerable in ways that go well beyond traditional approaches that seek to address the mental health crisis in our country. Every teammate who has contributed to our efforts – be that through their knowledge of their own personal journeys or through their talent and skill set – deserves accolades for conscientiously and confidently stepping into a space that is evolving every single day.

Website: https://realpeoplereallife.org/

Instagram: @nobodysperfectcommunity, @jasonhopcus

Linkedin: @ Jason C Hopcus, CLC (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-c-hopcus-clc-87461b43/details/experience/)

Facebook: @NobodysPerfectCommunity, @Jason Hopcus

Youtube: @nobodysperfectcommunity