September 14, 2018 - In This Issue:
Fall Amongst Friends
By Trish Larsen, Executive Director

Welcome Back! I hope you all had a relaxing and restorative summer. Like a group of old friends, we look forward to seeing you again this year in schools, at upcoming community events, and of course at our flagship Blue Gene Gala fundraising event on October 28th.

As promised, we have spent the summer months upgrading and improving our program offerings, adding additional staff, welcoming new speakers, and promoting our new Corporate Education Program. Thanks to all of you, Minding Your Mind continues to grow and thrive. 

We remain committed to our goal of providing premier mental health education programs to our audiences and supporters. Most of all, we are interested in providing any educational information that may help end stigma around mental health and promote healing. To that end, we invite you to share relevant information and meaningful experiences that may help others. If you have a story to tell, or a resource others should know about, please contact Maura Wheeler, our director of communications & public relations, at maura@mindingyourmind.org.

I look forward to seeing you on October 28th to celebrate the beginning of another great year!
Please Join Us!

On Sunday, October 28, Minding Your Mind will host our 11th Anniversary Blue Gene Gala, where we will spend the evening celebrating the power of community in education, support, recovery, and resilience. We welcome the return of Gerry Cuddy, president and CEO of Beneficial Bank, as our Master of Ceremonies, and are proud to honor some of our community's most influential individuals and their efforts to promote conversation and end stigma around mental health:

The Sefcik Family
Changing Minds Award
Caroline O'Halloran
SAVVY Main Line
Media Advocacy Award

Kim Porter
Be a Part of the Conversation
Keynote Speaker
Kristen Harootunian
Minding Your Mind
Young Adult Speaker

  
Grace & Gratitude
Gifts & Grants Received since 
June 2018
Leonard & Madlyn Abramson & Family
Amcor Rigid Plastics
American Box & Recycling Co.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Ballard Spahr
Beneficial Foundation
Donna Brooks
Anne Duke & Eric Brooks
Susan & Bob Brown
Canada Dry Delaware Valley Bottling Co.
Center for Families
Cozen O'Connor Foundation, Inc.
Meg & David Edwab
Lisa Erlbaum
Vicki & Gary Erlbaum
Erlbaum Family Foundation
Lori & Matthew Espe
Mary & Joseph Fenkel
Graham Company
Graham Partners, Inc.
Samantha & William Harmelin
Sandy & Roger Harrison
Lynn & Harold Honickman
Jack Satter Foundation
Jed David Satow Family Foundation
Barbara & Mike Krancer
Barbara & Harvey Kroiz
Jill & Chip Kurtzman
Elaine & Ken Langone
The Larsen Family
Ellyn & Seth Lehr
Susan & Paul Lichtman
The Lily Foundation
M&T Bank
Mill Creek Capital Advisors
Eric Miller - Iberia Food Corp.
Emily & Richard Reiner
Robin & Fred Robbins
Pam & Tony Schneider
The Schwartz Creed Foundation
Barry Schwartz
Seed the Dream Foundation
Shipley School
Judy Munroe & Steve Sidewater
The Snider Foundation
The Snook Family Foundation

Tzedakah Foundation
Universal Health Services, Inc.
Eileen & Philip Youtie
Harriet Gerson Rash & Ben Zuckerman
Regional Updates
MASSACHUSETTS
The rapid growth of our programs in Massachusetts combined with increased interest from schools in surrounding states compelled Minding Your Mind to hire a New England Regional Director. We are thrilled to introduce you to Michelle Drolsbraugh. 
Michelle Drolsbaugh

Michelle comes to Min
ding Your Mind with a love of  finding innovative solutions by addressing social justice issues and improving the lives of youth and families. Most recently, she led a foster care program in Boston for youth who had experienced abuse and neglect and struggled with the impact of complex trauma. 

" From the moment of my introduction to Minding Your Mind I have been impressed by the organization's passion and drive to reduce the stigma around mental health, and doing this early by speaking with students," says Michelle. "I have spent years on the other side, trying to help youth once a crisis occurs. This has led me to feel deeply about the need for prevention and open conversations about anxiety, depression, and loneliness. I'm excited to continue the work Minding Your Mind has done in establishing a respected presence in Massachusetts, and grow that through other states throughout New  England. Our ultimate goal is to connect with students so they know that despite any current struggles they are experiencing, they are not alone and can feel hopeful about the future."

Michelle would love to hear from you! Contact her at  michelle@mindingyourmind.org
NEW JERSEY
Please join us at Hasbrouck Heights High School on Tuesday, October 16 at 6:30PM for a screening of "ANGST: RAISING AWARENESS AROUND ANXIETY" with a Q&A session facilitated by Guy Iacono, LCSW, and MYM Young Adult Speaker, Kristen. Details and registration can be found by clicking here.  

We continue to actively recruit New Jersey-based young adult speakers, and are seeking a clinician with experience working in urban areas. If you are interested in working with Minding Your Mind in New Jersey, please visit the Employment section of our website and let's explore how we can bring new stories and experiences to our communities.
 
Minding Your Mind programs help you initiate the conversations that promote healthy lifestyles and ultimately save lives.  Contact Guy directly to see how Minding Your Mind can collaborate and partner in helping NJ teens. 


2NDFLOOR is a confidential and anonymous helpline for New Jersey's youth and young adults. We are here to help you find solutions to the problems that you face at home, at school or at play. 
If you are between the ages of 10 and 24, live in New Jersey, and need to talk about an issue or problem that you are facing call 888-222-2228 anytime or  text us at 888-222-2228.

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

October 28
Wynnewood, PA

New York, NY
Follow MYM on Social Media
Click any icon to follow MYM!
MYM hosts an active and ever-growing community of individuals who are interested in making mental health education a priority in our society. We have over 5,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and there is always room for one more. On our networks we share information about events, partnerships, and timely news and articles relevant to the mental health community. Come see what everyone is talking about! 

   
MYM Blog Welcomes Contributors
Do you have something you'd like to say about mental health? We are actively seeking submissions for blog posts! Please send the piece you would like considered for publication to Maura Wheeler, director of communications and public relations 
Looking Back
Welcome to the Team!
MYM Hires Senior Director of Philanthropy, Director of Student Engagement
This summer, Minding Your Mind established two new positions that will play an important role in helping us grow the depth of our offerings and reach more students.

Jordan Burnham
A familiar name and face to the MYM family, Jordan Burnham began a new phase of his career this July as our director of student engagement. For ten years, Jordan has been sharing his story of survival with students all across the U.S. Now, he will expand how students can understand mental health issues and support each other through our new school clubs initiative Our Minds Matter
       

Our Minds Matter Clubs furthers discussion and reduces stigma through group activities and school-wide promotion. The three main goals of each club are:
  • focusing on increasing help-seeking behavior
  • promoting social connectedness
  • encouraging healthy self-care and behavior
Contact Jordan to learn more about these clubs: jordan@mindingyourmind.org
_________________________

Joan Galon King
As Minding Your Mind grows, so does our outreach to stakeholders. Joan Galon King comes to her position as senior director of philanthropy with  with more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit arena. 

Prior to joining Minding Your Mind, Joan was the Northeast Regional Director, Community Development for Learning Ally. She has also served in non-profit leadership roles in the health and human services, education, and arts and cultures fields with organizations including Nantucket Historical Association, Bancroft, Liberty Science Center, NJ Public Television and Radio, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and American Heart Association. Joan received her B.S. degree in Marketing from Saint Joseph's University. Contact Joan to discuss how you can play a greater role in Minding Your Mind's future:  
A Farewell to Our Friend
Bob Hunn, 57, attorney, volunteer, father and husband
Earlier this month, Minding Your Mind lost one of our most devoted volunteers, and our community lost one of its kindest citizens. Bob Hunn died Tuesday, Sept. 4, of aortic valve disease at his home.

Bob came to Minding Your Mind in 2012, following the death of his 
older son, Jeremy, from an overdose of Benadryl. He was looking for a way to help adolescents, teens, and young adults struggling with their mental health. Bob believed that if Jeremy had heard a story of hope and recovery, he may have made a different choice. Bob became a familiar presence at all of Minding Your Mind events, and pitched-in behind the scenes to do anything needed - from table set-ups to stuffing gift bags for the gala, he did it all and gave us his all. We are so grateful to him for the light he brought to our organization, and he will be greatly missed.



To continue Bob's advocacy, and memorialize Jeremy, Bob's wife Shari established the Jeremy David Hunn Fund, which will underwrite Minding Your Mind programs in their community. Click here to learn more about Bob and Jeremy, or make a donation in memory of Bob.
LookingForward2 Looking Forward
Mental Health Education 
in the Workplace
The Bottom Line:
  • mental health issues are the leading cause of worker disability in the U.S.  
  • over 5 million people miss work each week due to stress.
  • 4 million work days per week are lost due to depression.
  • 81% of lost productivity time is due to presenteeism.
  • Depression-related abstenteeism can cost a company $3,500 - $12,000 per employee per year.
  • For every dollar invested in creating a mentally healthy workplace, $2.30 is generated in benefits to the company.


Create an Environment of 
Advocacy and Understanding

MYM's Corporate Education Program is a 90-minute interactive workshop designed to educate adults on basic mental health issues and how they impact daily life  in the workplace, a t home, and  during interactions with others.

Appropriate for small businesses to larger corporations, this program is facilitated by one of Minding Your Mind's professional clinicians and includes a presentation by one of our young adult speakers to attach real-life experiences to the topics being discussed.

To learn how to bring this to your company, please contact Andrew Onimus, Director of Corporate Programs and School Engagement, at andrew@mindingyourmind.org
Shop for a Cause
Running for Your Mind
We have seven generous - and sporty! - individuals who have joined Team Minding Your Mind to run the TCS NYC Marathon on November 4, 2018. Each of these participants will raise a minimum of $2,500 for Minding Your Mind. Read more about the runners and support their efforts by clicking here.
Featured Speaker
Lucas Wolfe shines a light on depression to help teens see the beauty of recovery.
When Lucas was in high school, he'd tell you he had a perfect life. He was known for his no-stress, go-with-the-flow attitude, and an unshakeable confidence in his ability to achieve anything he put his mind to. No one would have ever thought he'd struggle with depression, including Lucas himself.

In his junior year, he began to experience the early stages of depression. He was confused why his outside life didn't match his inside feelings. He didn't feel justified in feeling depressed because his outside circumstances were all great.

Because he didn't know depression was an illness that could affect anyone, Lucas hid his silent battle through high school and into college. He thought graduation, an internship, a job, would bring relief or happiness. He received a dream internship in New Mexico and thought it would be a turning point for positive change. Instead, isolated from his friends, family, and support, his depression became much worse.

During his last semester at college, his depression became so severe he lost the ability to eat. He reached out to his family, and they helped him find a doctor to start the recovery process. As he learned about his depression and saw the progress he made in recovery, he came to wish that he had known the truth about it back when the feelings started.

Inspired to help other teens having the same experience, Lucas chose to go and share his story with his high school in order to raise awareness and normalize the conversation. Now, Lucas speaks out about his battle with depression to let others know there is always hope, and that there is a wonderful life on the other side of depression.

To schedule a program with Lucas for your school or community, please  click here.