Close to 80 people made time for their mental health—and donated to improve the mental health of others—at the 2021 Wellness Kickoff on Jan. 28. The event raised a total of $2,414.50 for Transitions-Mental Health Association’s newly renamed Central Coast Hotline.
Attendees joined Verdin President and CSO Mary Verdin and TMHA Executive Director Jill Bolster-White for a meditation activity from Spark Yoga, live music, and a preview of the “Save the Number” campaign, which encourages Central Coast residents to save the hotline—(800) 783-0607—in their phones to have 24/7/365 access to crisis and mental health support.
Everyone attending the 2021 Wellness Kickoff took time to save the number together during the event and learned more about the increased need for local mental health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re definitely seeing more calls to our hotline, we’re seeing more interest in outreach and the need for support for family members and clients alike,” Bolster-White said. “The good news is that more and more people are realizing how important their mental health is. We’re getting more interest in exploring what it means to be mentally healthy and recognizing that anxiety and depression can affect all of us during this time.”
The impact of the pandemic on mental health is the main reason Verdin selected TMHA as the recipient of its 2020 Give. Since 2014, Verdin has hosted an annual event called the 24-Hour Give during which a worthy nonprofit gets a full rebrand, for free and all in 24 hours. This year, because of the pandemic, more people than ever before are looking for mental wellness support, but aren’t sure where to find it. So Verdin partnered with TMHA to create a public awareness campaign about Central Coast Hotline (previously known as SLO Hotline). We also extended the Give beyond a consecutive 24-hour period to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.
“It’s been a true honor to create this campaign for Transitions-Mental Health Association,” Verdin said. “Central Coast Hotline provides critical services from wonderful, caring people. They are here for you! Don’t forget to save the Central Coast Hotline number in your phone: 800-783-0607.”
The campaign is expected to launch soon. In the meantime, a full recording of the 2021 Wellness Kickoff is available on Verdin’s Youtube page. If you would like to donate to TMHA and Central Coast Hotline, please visit https://www.t-mha.org/donate.php.
A sincere thank you to our Give sponsors for making this all possible: Red Canary video production studio, Elliott Johnson Photography, Highlight Media, Boone Graphics, UPS Store in Marigold Center, PrintPal Promotion, The Sign Place, Centro, KSBY, KCOY, AGM and KVEC, Newstalk 920am, SLO Provisions and Spark Yoga.