The 4th annual Better Together for Mental Health event celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month took place on May 9 at Ithaca’s Stewart Park. It featured free food and massages; face painting, book giveaways, and carousel rides for kids; and dozens of information tables staffed by local mental health and wellness organizations.
“Programs provided resources on available services and programs in our community, along with family friendly activities to support mental health,” said Shannon Alvord, one of the organizers. “We are grateful to the people representing these wonderful agencies, who braved the weather to meet with the community and share about these essential resources.”
Kayla Eells of Health & Unity for Greg (HUG) gave out free copies of a children’s book on behalf of the Family Reading Partnership with sponsorship from The Sophie Fund.
“Between You and Me was an incredible book to hand out because its beautiful illustrations encompass what Better Together aims to achieve, promoting inclusion, awareness, and kindness in the mental health field,” said Eells.
This year’s sponsors included: Community Foundation of Tompkins County; Cayuga Health; Guthrie; THERM; True Insurance; Dryden Mutual Insurance Co.; Friends of Greg; Health & Unity for Greg; The Sophie Fund; Tompkins Community Bank; Visions Federal Credit Union; Beginnings Credit Union; Sciarabba, Walker and Co. LLC; and Lokey Studios.
Here’s a slideshow from Better Together 2026! (Photo credits: Tompkins County Whole Health; Racker; American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Central New York)
Nearly 200 mental health champions participated in the annual fundraising walk for the Finger Lakes affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at Ithaca’s Stewart Park on May 3, surpassing the organization’s $50,000 goal for NAMI’s support and education programs.
NAMI Finger Lakes Executive Director Sandra Sorensen and friend lead the way
Thirty-eight teams and countless individuals participated in the local NAMIWalks event this year, led by Bouyant Punk which collected $6,213, Together We Walk with another $4,619, and Team Archer with $3,338. Other teams hitting the $2,000 mark included PhenomiNAMInal with $2,495, Ithacares $2,461, and Deb’s Team $2,200.
David Archer was the No. 1 individual fundraiser, with $3,288. Other top individual fundraisers included: Sandra Sorensen (NAMI Finger Lakes executive director), Jae Sullivan, Meggin Rose, Bon Chiang, Jason Hungerford, Joni Spielholz, Howard Reid, Helen Ann Yunis, and Mollie Kristof.
The event’s keynote speaker was Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo, who thanked NAMI for helping fight the social stigma around mental health.
“Those of you who know me who have heard me speak at events like this before know that I’m very open about my own mental health challenges,” Cantelmo said. “I live with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. One of the most important things we can do, in addition to raising awareness, is trying to work a little harder to destigmatize mental health challenges.”
“There’s an enormous number of folks who live with them. It’s not always easy to get out of bed in the morning, but we have to make that choice every day. We have to support our loved ones and they have to do the same. I’m just so grateful. Your city is behind you, really supportive of you being out here today, doing everything you’re doing.”
Another speaker was Serena Exantus, coordinator of NAMI’s Sharing Hope program, which is designed to bring mental wellness, conversation, and an open space for the Black community.
“The reason why I got involved in this initiative is because while I was very passionate about mental health, there was a gap in the community. As people who are navigating mental wellness, we need people who look like us and understand us and where we can relate to them. And that’s what’s so great about NAMI, that they create programs that meet people where they are.”
The event involved a 1-mile walk, a 5K “fun run,” games in the Kids Zone, massages by Attuned Life, snacks, and music by DJ Anthony. NAMI and other local mental health organizations staffed information tables sharing mental health resources available in the local community.
This year’s walk included a raffle of locally donated items: massages, gift certificates for local restaurants, wine, gift baskets, Science Center tickets, Strong Museum passes, New York Mets tickets, and sporting paraphernalia from local teams.
NAMI Finger Lakes offers an array of peer-led programs that provide free education, skills training, and support for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness.
It operates a HelpLine where experienced volunteers answer calls for support and mental health resources. The number is (607) 252-6264.
According to NAMI Finger Lakes Program Manager Jason Hungerford, donations have enabled the organization to expand its programming and make a major impact over the past year. For example, NAMI has offered additional Family-to-Family mental health education classes, the Sharing Hope conversation series, and training for 60 additional first responders in NAMI’s Overwatch Peer Support.
Hungerford said that the chapter aided some 290 individuals through three unique support groups that meet twice a month. The organization has also reached more than 1,300 students and community members through mental health education and awareness presentations like Ending the Silence.
NAMI Finger Lakes is one of some 600 local affiliates of the national organization, a grassroots mental health organization founded in 1979 dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI says its mission is to educate, support, advocate, listen and lead to improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, promoting a cause that is dear to Ithaca Beer Co. and The Sophie Fund. The two organizations are partnering this year to highlight the many mental health information and treatment resources that are available in Tompkins County.
Zach McGovern and Valerie Consiglio-Nickerson, Taproom managers at Ithaca Beer
Throughout the month, Ithaca Beer will provide its customers with a resource card listing local providers for psychotherapy and psychiatry, addiction counseling, support groups, peer counseling, and sexual violence support.
The card’s flip side contains 5 Simple Steps, a brief safety plan that can help prevent an immediate mental health challenge from escalating. With the card’s QR code, users can download the resources to their smart phones.
“Mental health is a fundamental aspect of overall health, and is too often ignored, under supported, and stigmatized,” said Jess Mitchell, Ithaca Beer Co. director of operations. “We welcome hundreds of visitors monthly, giving us the platform to reach our community widely. We are committed to doing our part to connect people with the resources they need.”
Ithaca Beer and The Sophie Fund are also running a mental health awareness campaign on social media, pointing to local resources, breaking the stigma around mental health, and encouraging anyone who is struggling to reach out for help.
The organizations, along with Better Together for Mental Health, will host a special Mental Health Awareness Month gathering for local mental health workers honoring their dedication and impact. The event will take place at Ithaca Beer on May 28.
Scott MacLeod, co-founder of The Sophie Fund, expressed gratitude for Ithaca Beer’s effort to promote mental health in the community.
“Stigma remains an obstacle that prevents many people who are struggling from acknowledging they need help or actually reaching out to loved ones or professionals for support,” he said.
“When a high-profile company like Ithaca Beer steps up to actively help normalize talking about mental health, it makes all the difference. Nobody should suffer in silence when help is available.”
DOWNLOAD Mental Health Support and Crisis Services 2026
You must be logged in to post a comment.