Initiatives
Mental Health Advocate Awareness Month
Mental Health Advocate Awareness Month Initiative is our way to break the stigma around mental health for social and emotional wellness, one heart at a time in communities across America. Our goal is to get Congress to declare January as National Mental Health Advocate Month. If we cannot get a month we will take a week or a day!
A day of action, power and unity in the community, breaking down stigma and barriers to Mental Health…By creating a Community of Hearts Mental Health Advocate Day, during the month when depression hits a peak because of the lack of sun, the loneliness and loss or debt of the holiday starts to sink in, we can show support for mental health, social and emotional wellness in communities around the globe. Advocating is a way to educate, bring awareness to, stand up for and share the burden of reducing the stigma so people can navigate to the resources and know that they are loved.
This day is a day to remove stigma, take a pledge to become a mental health advocate and show it, by checking in on, calling or visiting neighbors, family, friends. Asking the question, “How’s Your Mental Health Today”? To raise friends, funds and awareness for mental health. Host parties, lunch and learns, show movies about mental health, share mental health resources. Think of all the fun, educational events that can happen, the lives that can be saved and enriched as we support a culture of Mental Health Advocacy.
Stress Less Student Initiative
25% of school aged children are on an anti-anxiety medication. The stress and and hopeless they feel is only going to increase as the rate of suicide, now, the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-34 skyrockets. Mental health issues like anxiety and depression can lead to suicidal thoughts that stem from stress, worry, fears, environment, pain and other issues that are beyond a child’s control.
We can all agree that the mental health of children is important, because it affects our future community. All children deserve every opportunity to thrive.
Science has proven that the colors we see affect our mood, and the way we act or react, so therapist utilize a simple tool called ChromoTherapy glasses in their sessions. Children wear the glasses with yellow lens to calm down, manage and reduce anxiety. These glasses can be very costly, averaging $30 a pair.
Community of Hearts is a grass roots 100% volunteer led and ran federally recognized 501c3 non-profit in West Michigan with access to the Good Vibes ChromoTherapy glasses for a fraction of the cost through our “Stress Less Student Initiative.” For $10 we can gift every child a pair of Good Vibes ChromoTherapy glasses as a tool to reduce or manage anxiety and stress in classrooms everywhere.
We need partners, businesses, organizations and individuals willing to adopt a classroom or school to support the “Stress-Less Student Initiative.”
Can we count on you? We need you to help as many students as possible reduce anxiety and stress, so they can succeed now and in the future! We Thank you!
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