The Mental Fitness Collective (MFC) was founded in September 2023 by Hunter Karam. We started with weekly community events that combined movement, gratitude, sharing highs and lows, and connection over coffee. These gatherings created a safe space for people to show up authentically and revealed the power of simple practices in bringing people together.​

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From the beginning, the MFC community has rallied behind the mission. In 2023, Hunter and a group of volunteers fundraised for the charity by running 100 kilometres, followed in 2024 by a 200 kilometre run completed by Hunter. Over time, more than 25 people have volunteered their time and energy to help build the movement, a reminder that none of this would be possible without our community.

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In June 2024, Hunter left his job after recognising a deeper gap in society: while we have everyday systems for physical fitness, there is no equivalent for training the mind. Mental health today tends to be looked at through a reactive lens. We wait until people are already struggling before offering care. At first, MFC delivered suicide intervention workshops, but it quickly became clear this was still addressing problems after crisis had already emerged. Psychologists and counsellors do vital work, but they cannot carry the responsibility of an entire society on their own. What is missing is proactive, everyday training, the mental equivalent of gyms, and practice routines. Without it, we remain stuck in a cycle of breakdown and recovery instead of prevention and growth.​​

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At this point, Jake Pepper joined as co-founder, helping MFC evolve from a grassroots community into a registered charity. His leadership and commitment were instrumental in building the structure that allowed us to scale our vision and embed mental fitness into everyday life.

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By late 2024 and into 2025, MFC began developing its own framework in collaboration with professionals in psychology, neuroscience, and counselling. Alongside this, the community continued to meet weekly and pilot sessions allowed us to test, learn, and refine what worked. These experiences laid the foundation for a model of mental fitness that is evidence-based, accessible, and community-driven.

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Today, MFC is building a movement to make mental fitness a normal part of everyday life, embedding the skills that help people thrive, overcome challenges, adapt to change and connect with others.