Introducing MENTAL Eats
You are out eating at a restaurant. You look to the neighboring table next to you and notice a sweatband on the customer’s head. It’s unusual, most folks don’t wear sweatbands, especially not at restaurants. They don’t even look like they are wearing athletic clothing, or sweating either, what’s up with that?
You take a closer look and read what’s written quite clearly: MENTAL. Yes, that’s the hope, that’s the idea. We want to draw attention, raising awareness to a cause that matters: mental health.
We are excited to introduce a new concept driven by a supportive local network, called MENTAL Eats, consisting of local restaurants that are in support of our mental health mission.
These partner restaurants are acknowledging our headbands as a token of mental health advocacy. We are incredibly grateful for this kind of community support. They want this to keep going & growing; they want to help.
Changemaking conversations happen around the table. That’s where stigma perpetuates and that’s where it can be beaten. We are making progress around mental health, not only by dancing for the cause, but talking about it too. We need to start owning the cause as our own, because if we don’t, who else will?
In 2020 we are dancing with disaster, and we find it no longer acceptable to hide mental challenges under the rug. The days of covering up are over. We need to be open about issues so we can more effectively support one another, as people.
If COVID19 has taught us anything, it’s that we are all connected. Your health affects mine. We need to start acknowledging this reality. In acts of perceived selflessness, there's selfishness too. Help others to help yourself or help yourself by helping others.
In topics related to mental health, we can make incredible progress at the table. All it takes is a conversation. The headbands worn out in public, we hope, will help start it.