“Thank you all for coming out to this event that supports mental health with awareness and community resources! Make sure to grab your finisher pin.”
As the runners crossed the finish line in the race 5K Mental Health Matters ‒Mental Health Matters‒, it was clear that there were more winners than just runners with race numbers.
Early Sunday, May 21, community groups and runners gathered at Seal Point Park in San Mateo, to “Mental Health Matters», a community event sponsored by Star Vista and the San Mateo Police Activities League ‒PAL‒ to raise awareness about mental health and wellness resources.
The 5K race was just one part of this community event that also featured yoga sessions, self-care activities, wellness art, service dogs and a community partner fair.
Before and after the race, more than 30 community partners hosted tables with information, demonstrations, activities and giveaways, all focused on promoting health, mental health and well-being.
Participating groups this year included: Stride for Awareness, NAMI San Mateo, San Mateo County Pride Center, One Life CounselingThe Healthy Teen Project, CASA of San Mateo,and the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse ‒NCAPDA‒.
The Mental Health Matters 2023 community event was organized by Star Vista and the Police Activities League (PAL).
Co-organizer Lourdes Enríquez explained the origin of the event.
“In 2016, my 16-year-old daughter expressed concern about the mental health and well-being of her peers. As we discussed the topic, I became aware of my own contributions to her stress as a parent. We set out to raise awareness and sought out community partners to help us plan an event where community leaders and organizations could work together to promote discussion and education about health and wellness topics. San Mateo PAL partnered with us and this was the genesis of the 5K Run/Walk and Wellness Fair,” Enriquez said.
The need for this event resonated clearly with over five hundred community members of all ages who came out to run or enjoy the dozens of booths and activities.
Participant Mai Le explained why her family joined the 5K race and activities. “It’s a special time of year for me because my father, who suffered from schizophrenia, passed away last year. We decided to do this race in his honor. It’s so nice to be here with the rest of the community to see people doing great things for mental health awareness,” Le said.
San Mateo Police and Marine Corps Officer Capt. Luke Thornburg attended the race with many fellow Marines, and stressed the importance of the event’s focus. “The event is so important for law enforcement and the armed services to be aware of, and to promote awareness of, mental health issues,” Thornburg noted.
April Rovero, executive director of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse (NCAPDA), hosted a booth where prescription drug kits were made available to the public. Narcan were available to the public.
Rovero is passionate about health education, having lost her son Joey in college to an overdose.
“I absolutely recognize that mental health can lead to substance use, which could lead to substance abuse,” she said. “They go hand in hand, and I want people here who are motivated to raise mental health awareness to understand how to use the fentanyl overdose awareness kits.”
Twisha Anand, co-founder of Humanest, a peer support program moderated by therapists, spoke about why she believed it was important to speak out today.
“We want the community to know that there are community support services that are tailored to each person’s needs at each moment. The moment you are motivated to take that leap, you will get the support and services you are looking for,” Anand said.
From information about mental illness, to wellness practices, to accessing Narcan kits, stress balls, and community resources, it’s clear that the community was the real winner at Mental Health Matters 2023.
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