If you’ve been in our orbit for a while, you know that we are dedicated to ensuring that the future of Tampa Bay is one where everyone has access to the mental health support they need and where stigma is a thing of the past. In short, we are changing the conversation about mental health for our Tampa Bay region.
Collectively, we’re still sitting in a season of change, where people, groups, and organizations are forming big and exciting plans for what 2024 and beyond will look like. One thing that is true at any time of year is that change is more likely to stick when you have your community in your corner. It’s why we designate an accountability buddy for those early gym days, why we call friends to help us move, and why we tend to celebrate milestones like graduations, a new baby, or weddings with our loved ones.
Community is a core part of the human experience. Research shows that a strong sense of community is supportive of better mental health outcomes for anxiety, depression, and stress. A strong sense of community can provide belonging, support, and a sense of purpose that enables individuals and groups to thrive, and just as importantly to receive support when they are not thriving. We become more than the sum of our parts when we work together towards a common goal. We truly are stronger together.
While this is true for individuals, it is also true for organizations. Shifting untold years of societal biases, stigma, and assumptions about mental health is a massive undertaking. It is as big a goal as it is important, and we aren’t tackling it alone.
We are grateful for our peer organizations and for individuals doing what they can to make the world a safer and more caring place in the realm of mental health. While we may all have slightly different focuses and areas of expertise, what unites us is a vision of a world where people get the care that they need, feel empowered to learn about the challenges they’re facing in their own lives, and are equipped to support their loved ones. It is a world in which what makes us different is celebrated and honored rather than ignored or shunned. It is a world where each of us can live as ourselves without fear.
Join us as we highlight the incredible work done by partners like BayCare Kids, Leadership Tampa, and the Tampa Bay Lightning in reshaping the mental health landscape. We stand united against stigma, building towards a more supportive community where everyone’s mental health matters.
