Throughout May there are many different opportunities to support the mental health and wellness of the community, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
The Family Support Center is hosting the Handbags for Hope event on May 6 and will raise proceeds that will go towards providing direct resources and services for mental health, whether it be for more local providers or to cover individual care for those that may be uninsured.
“Mental health is huge and it hits home for everybody in some way, shape or form in their life,” said Deanna Eastman, Chairman of the Family Support Center Fundraising Committee.
The Family Support Center is a nonprofit organization that specializes in both mental health services and resources for substance abuse counseling and cessation.
“We have two licensed substance abuse counselors that do individual counseling and group counseling and currently we have two mental health providers that come from Reno,” explained Executive Director Renee Mayo.
The event is being held at the Winnemucca Boys & Girls Club from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will have over 100 designer handbags (from Louis Vuitton to Kate Spade and Michael Kors), backpacks, luggage, and a golf bag for auction and raffle, mocktail drinks and brunch. Individual tickets cost $50 each or a table is $400 and tickets will be available the day of the event.
“Our big goal really is [to raise proceeds for] recruitment to try to get some more mental health providers because besides us there is only really mental health help at the hospital at this time and we know that they have a waitlist,” explained Mayo.
Substance abuse and addiction can often go hand-in-hand with mental health issues, and according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), roughly “7.7 millions adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders”.
“Sometimes once you address substance abuse, then you really don’t have a mental health issue anymore and vice versa,” explained Mayo.
Sadly, a lot of people live their life without seeking help for mental health or substance abuse issues, whether it be because of the stigma or the financial burden. The NIDA reports that 52.5 percent of people did not seek help for mental health or substance abuse issues in 2017 because they could not afford the cost.
Mayo and Eastman agreed that the stigma surrounding mental health and substance abuse needs to be broken down so that the people and the community can come together and heal from the effects of mental and substance abuse issues.
Eastman, Mayo and other members of the Family Support Center Board, such as Massey Mayo, Jessica Mayo, Jordan Vetter, Wendy Maddox, Shana Mitchell and Donna Hogg have been planning and organizing the event since last August, according to Eastman, and they have coordinated for important keynote speakers to be present.
There will also be a Certificate of Congressional Commendation given to a very special individual who plays a lucrative part in the community from Senator Jackie Rosen’s office.
“Anytime you talk about mental health, it’s heavy. So our goal is to take a heavy topic, talk about it and make it real, but it’s a fun event for people to come to on a Saturday morning,” said Eastman.