Today, we are excited to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month with our allies from across the world. While we are unable to celebrate as we once planned, we are proud of the work and support of our Sponsors, Donors, Board, Development Committee, Staff, and community at large for your help in reinventing this year’s #31DaysofWellness.
Pre COVID-19, MHC was hard at work, planning our annual fundraiser, Art of Wellbeing: Truth be Told to take place on May 1, 2020. The venue was secured, the performers were preparing their telling tales, the final touches were being made to the menu, and just as the invitation design was sent to the printer – we had to make the difficult yet necessary decision to cancel the event. What was once to be an evening of sharing the impact and wellness benefits of the art of storytelling – is now an opportunity for us to take the theme of storytelling and share the stories of our staff, program participants, and supporters from across CT – all month long.
Before we jump in our reimagined Day 1 of #31DaysofWellness, let’s take a moment to honor the Art of Wellbeing fundraiser event. For at 6:00 p.m. this evening, we should have been gathered at Infinity Hall, Hartford for a fabulous event. We miss you all and hope to see you, in person, very soon.
Now, who is ready to jump in and kick off #31DaysofWellness? All month long, you will see a variety of hashtags. Each day of the week will have its own theme under the overarching umbrella of storytelling.
#MHCMonday will recognize the programs, participants, and staff at MHC. Each Monday you will learn a little more about us and what we do across the state. We will also share special highlights from our sponsors who helped to make #31DaysofWellness a reality.
#TellingTalesTuesday will be our way of looking back at some of our alumni from MHC’s Write On! program who have shared their work on our podcast, Telling Tales. Write On! creator and lead instructor, Janet Reynolds, will also share a brief snapshot of the artists since their piece was released.
#WriteOnWednesday will pick up where the MHC@Home Series left off with weekly live Zoom workshops and conversations. Registration for each session is open. Visit www.mhconn.org/may for all the links.
#ThrowbackThursday will be a chance for us to look back on some great resources we shared from last year’s #31DaysofWellness and give an opportunity for us to discuss how these wellness tips can be adjusted to fit our current mindset and environments.
#FundraiserFriday (that’s today!*) will be our weekly check in, encouragement, and shout-out around fundraising for MHC. This #31DaysofWellness, we set a goal to raise $31,000 – that’s $1,000 each day in honor of the nearly 1,000 individuals we serve each day. Thanks to our sponsors, we are off to a great start!
#SelfCareSaturday will be our time to check-in, decompress from the week, and share tips and resources that you can use at home to take care of you.
#StoryKeeperSunday will be a weekly reminder of all the benefits of being an MHC StoryKeeper. Those who already took the pledge to Be There, Listen, and Protect the stories they are told know that, as a StoryKeeper, they are helping to create a safe space in their community for those who need to share their truth, without judgement.
*On this #FundraiserFriday we hope that you will join us in setting up a personal fundraiser page at www.mhconn.org/31days in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Share your story and encourage others to do the same. Help us reach our goal of $31,000 this May for #31DaysofWellness.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn for daily updates on our virtual activities, resources, and workshops.
– Team MHC
