THE KIDS MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION HOSTS INAUGURAL "FAMILY CELEBRATION DAY" TO KICK OFF MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

The Event Included Appearances From Angel Carter Conrad, Alexandra Daddario, Ashley Eckstein, Daniel Franzese, Isabella Diez, Jack Wright, Mädchen Amick, Lisa Ling, Melissa Claire Egan, Nina West, Sam DeRosa, Soleil Moon Frye, Zak Williams, Zaria and More

"Family Celebration Day for Kids Mental Health" Images (Photo Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for The Kids Mental Health Foundation): Click HERE

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, The Kids Mental Health Foundation (KMHF), formerly known as On Our Sleeves, hosted its first-ever "Family Celebration Day for Kids Mental Health" to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, marking the expansion of the organization's mission to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child's upbringing. The event, at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, California, featured a carnival-like atmosphere with a diverse range of activities for all ages – from storybook readings and arts and crafts to yoga and wellness sessions – to educate the community and promote children's mental health.

Family Celebration Day brought together community members, KMHF's expert clinicians and staff, and notable guests, including Alexandra Daddario, Ashley Eckstein, Daniel Franzese, Isabella Diez, Jack Wright, Mädchen Amick, Lisa Ling, Melissa Claire Egan, Nina West, Sam DeRosa, Soleil Moon Frye, Zak Williams, Zaria and others, who participated and helped lead activities throughout the afternoon. Grammy-nominated artist Sam DeRosa also hosted a special performance at the event with DJ Spider also performing throughout the day.

"We were thrilled to be able to create a space where children and parents can come together and talk about mental health in a fun and inclusive way," said Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, Associate Clinical Director at The Kids Mental Health Foundation and Psychologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "We are facing a youth mental health crisis, which is why early intervention is critical. We are grateful for this opportunity to create a space where mental health is a vital part of every child's upbringing."

The Family Celebration Day for Kids Mental Health marked an evolution of "Songs for Tomorrow," a benefit concert launched in January last year by KMHF's celebrity champion, Angel Carter Conrad. Inspired by the life of Aaron Carter, Angel's twin brother, the concert brought the community together in Los Angeles to help raise awareness about children's mental health. The Family Celebration Day in 2024, co-chaired by Angel and her husband, Corey Conrad, helped build on that work by creating an afternoon focused on mental health and family fun. 

"It was so great to look around and see families, friends, and loved ones unite around a cause that has always been near to my heart," said Angel Carter Conrad, celebrity champion for The Kids Mental Health Foundation and co-chair of Family Celebration Day. "Starting conversations about mental health from a young age can make all the difference in the world. We shouldn't wait for a crisis or something to go wrong for parents or caregivers to step in. Instead, we must break the stigma and empower our children by helping them understand why these conversations matter. That is why I am honored to work with organizations like The Kids Mental Health Foundation, whose mission is to ensure every child understands how important their mental health is."  

The event also served as an opportunity to raise awareness and funds to support KMHF's work providing free resources to parents, caregivers, and health professionals. These resources are designed to equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for policy changes and support research initiatives in children's mental health.

Event Highlights Included:

• Major Photo Opportunity: An interactive take on the classic Step & Repeat, designed for memorable moments.
• Belonging Corner & Kindness Card Station: Sponsored by Monster High, this station invited attendees to craft heartfelt messages for loved ones with guidance from KMHF's clinical team.
• Build a Classroom Kindness Kit: Participants created kindness kits, which will be distributed to LA schools, fostering an environment of kindness and support.
• Conversation Station: Featuring new KMHF conversation cards, this station encouraged open discussions about mental health and offered prizes for completed "Passports."
• Creativity Corner: Sponsored by JOANN, this area offered friendship bracelet making and arts and crafts, utilizing supplies from the JOANN x KMHF product line.
• Mindfulness Corner: With movement stations sponsored by Go Noodle and sports activations, attendees enjoyed physical activity while promoting mental wellness.
• Positivity and Story Corners: These corners featured a Positivity Mirror sponsored by Abercrombie & Fitch and story readings by various talents.

KMHF also celebrated the expansion of its mission to champion the mental well-being of children across the nation. The Foundation believes and promotes that emotional and physical well-being deserve equal weight when considering a child's health. KMHF will continue to equip children with skills to navigate their mental health while also helping adults build healthy, empathetic, and communicative relationships with the kids in their lives.

KMHF's Family Celebration Day was presented by this year's sponsors, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Caruso, Go Noodle, JOANN, and Monster High, as well as host committee members Christina McLarty Arquette, David Arquette, Lance Bass, Rebecca Coleman, Alexandra Daddario, Andrew Form, Rene Jones, Governor John Kasich, Amanda Kloots, Valorie Kondos Field, Jennifer Lynch, Rachel Montez Minor & Rickey Minor, Soleil Moon Frye, Jaime Pressly, Jeff Probst, Adam Shankman, Millicent Shelton, Keleigh Thomas Morgan, Lennon Torres, Christy Vega, Alissa Vradenburg, and Michael Williams. We extend our thanks for their invaluable support and commitment to raising national awareness for child mental health. The Foundation also honored Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Brianna Cayo Cotter, and Courtney B. Vance for their passion and efforts to address the youth mental health crisis.

For more information about The Kids Mental Health Foundation, please visit
KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.

ABOUT THE KIDS MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
The Kids Mental Health Foundation is the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States. To achieve its vision to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child's upbringing, nearly 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise to power the Foundation's free educational videos, guides and curriculum. Created in 2018 as The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children's Mental Health, the recent name change reflects the Foundation's belief that emotional and physical wellbeing deserve equal weight when considering the health of a child. To date, more than 11 million people have engaged with the Foundation's materials, helping parents, educators, and coaches be a guiding force for children all across the United States.

CONTACT: [email protected].

SOURCE The Kids Mental Health Foundation