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For Immediate Release – May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and several events are planned throughout the county to elevate awareness of the importance of mental health issues.
The organization behind these efforts is Santa Barbara’s Mental Wellness Center, a nonprofit that has been leading the charge and providing mental health support for more than 75 years. Mental Wellness Center ensures access to all community members, offering bilingual services free of charge, either in person or remotely. This year, the work continues with a variety of local events, from Santa Barbara to Buellton, timed to coincide with the national movement.
First, MWC’s Green Ribbon Campaign kicks off May’s events, with an effort encouraging local residents and businesses to display a green ribbon in their homes and workplaces. The green ribbon is the international symbol of mental health awareness, and its proud display demonstrates solidarity. “The green ribbon is a way to visually raise awareness of critical mental health issues, while unifying the community,” said Annmarie Cameron, Mental Wellness Center’s CEO.
Mental Wellness Center is also bringing back its highly successful “Artful Minds,” arts faire on Saturday, May 4, from 11 am – 3 pm on the beachfront opposite Chase Palm Park. This annual event showcases the talents of approximately 60 local artists living with mental illness, across a variety of visual mediums, including painting, drawing, jewelry and sculpture. Many discover their talents for the first time as participants in Mental Wellness Center’s Fellowship Club, where peer educators and an art specialist help them explore their emotions through self-expression.
“Artful Minds” also provides an outlet for those living with mental health challenges to celebrate their creativity in a safe, supportive space. It’s an opportunity that allows them to be recognized for their talents, not their diagnosis.
New this year will be an enlarged, interactive banner, inviting community members to share personal sentiments regarding what mental health means to them. This community-wide collaborative banner will then be displayed for the remainder of the month at 617 Garden Street, in front of the Mental Wellness Center, inviting more local residents to reflect on the importance of mental wellbeing. Santa Barbara’s City Arts Department is a partner in this effort.
Three local high schools are also partnering with Mental Wellness Center to extend the impact of the green ribbon campaign and engage a wider and younger audience. Working with Wellness Connection Councils – a leadership program during club hours that educates and empowers students to become mental health advocates on their high school campuses – initiatives will take place at each of the three high schools – Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, and Santa Barbara – that reflect how their school will promote “May is Mental Health Awareness Month” to their student body.
High school students experience mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety at alarming rates, making them one of the hardest hit demographics. A recent anonymous survey of club participants at one of the high schools demonstrated just that, with nearly 80% of those surveyed sharing that anxiety, depression, and overwhelming stress, both in school and out, are the three mental health challenges they experience most often. Rocio Pacheco, WCC Coordinator explains: “our students experience high levels of stress, so the hope is to create a space where they feel a sense of community and belonging, where they can focus on their own mental health, address the mental health challenges at their school, and try out a variety of creative ways to decompress.” In the surveys, students also mentioned that social media addiction, anxiety brought on by school cliques, coping with eating disorders, or hearing about a suicide, are the things that cause overall feelings of stress and depression the most.
Finally, on Saturday, May 18, Alma Rosa Winery will host its fifth annual “Peace of Mind: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction” fundraising walk. This approximately 4.5 mile walk throughout the 628-acre estate, was launched in 2020 by Alma Rosa Proprietors Bob and Barb Zorich to support mental health community services, as well as fund research on the causes, treatment and potential cures for anxiety and depression.
Over the last four years, the winery has raised over $745,000 for these two organizations. To continue amplifying the efforts of the event, the Zorich Family will be matching individual donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $35,000 to both One Mind and Mental Wellness Center in Santa Barbara, and corporate sponsorships up to an additional $25,000. An intimate reception and wine tastings follow the walk.
“This year we have decided to move our annual walk to May in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’ll also be expanding our winery partners for the post-walk wine tasting,” said General Manager Debra Eagle. “We are proud to continue our commitment to supporting Mental Wellness Center and One Mind and hope to inspire more people to join us this year in supporting the critical work of these organizations.”
To sign up, donate or start a fundraising campaign for the May 18 walk, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Buellton/PeaceofMind10000StepsintheRightDirection.
To learn more about Mental Wellness Center, and its annual Artful Minds event, visit https://mentalwellnesscenter.org.