Our Story

GiveThx was developed in 2017 for and with students in low-income, high-trauma communities. At the time, GiveThx founder, Mike Fauteux was a high school math classroom teacher in California. Looking to support students who were significantly behind and struggling to catch up, he asked students three key questions: What do you need to feel safe? What do you need to feel like you belong? What do you need to feel like you can succeed? From their answers, the GiveThx program was born. 

The program was designed to center equity and inclusion. While GiveThx benefits all students, it aims to make those who feel most marginalized--most unseen and unsafe--feel included, worthy, and valued. Unlike social media platforms, where everyone can see who is being included, excluded, and bullied on the digital playground, GiveThx’s notes hinge on private and positive peer-to-peer engagement. The one-on-one messages allow students to build community through confidential notes of appreciation.

After engaging in early GiveThx practices, Mike’s students reported feeling happier, developing stronger relationships with their peers and teachers, and building a deeper sense of self. It became clear that strengthening social emotional skills through gratitude improved student belonging and school culture. This led, in turn, to better academic outcomes and increased engagement in school.

In 2018, Mike partnered with co-founders Amara Humphry and Javier Perez to bring these early prototypes to life through the GiveThx app. They are committed to creating easy, flexible, and equitable ways to integrate social emotional skill-building into schools through gratitude and technology.