With Mental Health Awareness Month in full swing, Jana Marie Foundation is planning a host of events to promote mental well-being and resilience within the community.
The State College-based nonprofit will offer a series programs designed to spark conversations, foster connections and empower individuals to prioritize their mental health.
Throughout May, Jana Marie Foundation is providing free mental health education workshops covering a range of topics, including self-care, counseling on access to lethal means to prevent suicide and how to intervene during a mental health challenge or crisis.
Evidence-based courses, such as Youth Mental Health First Aid and QPR Gatekeeper Training for suicide prevention, will be offered virtually at no cost to community members. The workshops will provide resources and tools to help individuals navigate the complexities of mental health in their everyday lives. To register for the sessions, visit janamariefoundation.org/take-a-course.
The foundation also will host its annual street festival, J.A.M. Fest, from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the 100 block of Fraser Street and the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in State College. The public event will feature live music, activity stations and community art installations.
J.A.M. Fest creates a lively and inclusive atmosphere where attendees can come together to celebrate mental health awareness while enjoying music from local bands, engaging in crafts and connecting with others in the community, according to the foundation.
“We are delighted to join our community in commemorating Mental Health Awareness Month this May,” Marisa Vicere, president and founder of Jana Marie Foundation, said in a news release. “Our goal is to provide accessible resources and create meaningful experiences that promote mental well-being and support individuals on their journey toward resilience and recovery.”
During J.A.M. Fest, patrons are encouraged to look for special art pieces hanging in the windows of downtown businesses. Jana Marie Foundation has installed art in the storefronts of several locations in Downtown State College as a part of their “Art with a Theme” project.
Each year, symbols are cut out of corrugated plastic and given to local artists to decorate. This year’s symbol, a bee, was chosen to represent three important protective factors for mental health: Belonging, Education and Environment (B.E.E.). The colorful canvases have been distributed to businesses and organizations to display in their windows.
The community art pieces, which will be hanging during the month of May, will serve as visual reminders of the importance of mental health awareness and advocacy. Through the B.E.E. artwork, Jana Marie Foundation hopes to inspire reflection, conversation and action toward creating a more supportive and compassionate community for all.
Inspirational yard signs with positive messages such as, “Your mistakes do not define you,” and, “Let your light shine bright,” provided by the foundation are also popping up outside participating homes and schools. Community members interested in displaying a sign can contact Jana Marie Foundation at info@janamariefoundation.org or (814) 954-5920 for one of the few signs still available.
Community members of all ages are invited to participate in the Mental Health Awareness Month events and to join the movement to talk openly about their own mental health.
For more information about the Jana Marie Foundation and a full schedule of Mental Health Awareness Month events, visit janamariefoundation.org.
