YOU ARE ENOUGH: Cathy Caplener’s Mission to Make People Feel Seen

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize the many ways individuals and organizations are working to support emotional wellness. One of those changemakers is Cathy Caplener, founder of Giving Purpose and the YOU ARE ENOUGH movement—a growing campaign that uses three simple words to spark healing, self-worth, and connection.

What began as a personal mission to ease the pain of loneliness and depression has since become a powerful symbol of hope reaching communities across Los Angeles and beyond.

A Message That Started With a Need to Be Seen

Cathy’s journey began with her own battles with anxiety and depression. After years of navigating the ups and downs of therapy and medication, she found herself longing for something more—a way to make others feel less alone in their darkest moments. In 2020, she had a simple yet bold vision: to put the words YOU ARE ENOUGH on a billboard.

She believed that seeing this message, in big bold letters, could cut through the noise of advertising that so often tells us we’re not enough. Instead of selling something, Cathy wanted to offer support—publicly, powerfully, and unforgettably.

Giving Purpose: A Nonprofit Fueled by Empathy

Cathy’s passion soon evolved into Giving Purpose, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to feel worthy, seen, and supported. The mission is simple but powerful: to use community, messaging, and visibility to reduce the stigma around mental health and combat the isolation so many people experience.

Through billboards, merchandise, and events, Giving Purpose reaches those who might otherwise feel invisible. Each initiative is a declaration that no one has to face their mental health challenges alone—and that healing is possible when we show up for one another.

Billboards With Impact

Cathy’s first billboard, launched in Redondo Beach with support from a GoFundMe campaign, resonated immediately. The reaction was emotional and overwhelming. Strangers reached out to share how the message had stopped them in their tracks—reminding them of their worth in a moment when they needed it most.

That one billboard sparked a movement. Over the last four years, more than 1,300 YOU ARE ENOUGH billboards have been placed in cities across the country, including Gardena, Inglewood, and West Hollywood. The campaign has helped people feel seen during moments of isolation, grief, and emotional struggle—especially during the pandemic, when many were sitting with feelings they had never faced before.

More Than a Campaign—A Community

YOU ARE ENOUGH is more than a message. It’s a growing community of people who believe in the power of kindness and connection. Through Giving Purpose, Cathy has expanded the campaign into events, merchandise, and wellness programming. It’s become a movement that invites people to both receive and share the message of worthiness and support.

On May 31, 2025, the movement continues with the Third Annual YOU ARE ENOUGH 5K Run/Walk on the Hermosa and Manhattan Beach Strand. Participants will gather to celebrate wellness, raise awareness, and help fund new billboards throughout Los Angeles. The event also includes pre-race wellness sessions to nurture mind, body, and spirit—and new this year, teams can raise funds to place a personalized billboard in any city of their choice.

Saturday, May 31 · 9am – 12pm PDT. Check in starts at 7am
Schumacher Plaza – Tim Kelly Memorial Surf Statue Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Powered by Purpose

With over three decades of public relations experience and a heart for service, Cathy’s work through Giving Purpose and her agency, Be Cause PR, is centered around helping people feel visible, valued, and empowered. She describes the YOU ARE ENOUGH campaign as a brand with a heart—one that reminds people they matter, exactly as they are.

From one billboard to a national movement, Cathy Caplener is proving that sometimes the simplest messages are the ones that change lives.