United Community Corporation is hosting a Mental Health Fair in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness month on Saturday, May 14, at Vailsburg Park in Newark from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The fair, which Amerigroup sponsors, will feature various resources dedicated to mental wellness, including financial literacy, health care, substance abuse, trauma, meditation, and creativity.
Attendees will learn about programs and tips to help them achieve physical, emotional, social, and intellectual wellness.
“The community is not aware of many available resources that can help them in many different aspects,” UCC Outreach Team Member and Event Organizer Amalia Ruiz said.
“Everyone struggles, and no one should feel ostracized because they have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Mental Health is like any other disorder, and we need to stop the stigmas and labels. It is important to educate and show the community creative ways to heal and destress.”
The cause is one close to Ruiz’s heart.
“My main motivator for this event is to honor a loved one that battled mental health,” she said.
“Additionally, I want to stress the importance of speaking out, getting help, and never feeling alone.”
Saturday’s fair will do its best to show those in attendance that they aren’t alone, with over 15 partners committed to the event.
There will be hands-on activities, giveaways, and demonstrations by self-defense and dance instructors.
UCC will also have staff on hand to provide resources for youth after school and summer programming, housing and energy bill assistance, and UCC YouthBuild job training and preparedness.
Hope & Esperanza Community Health will be attending the event to provide COVID-19 vaccinations.
UCC and the New Jersey Department of Health will be performing outreach for COVID-19 vaccinations.
UCC’s youth ambassador outreach team is possible thanks to funding from United Way of Greater Newark.
“We’re starting to see the COVID-19 number rise again, so it’s so important that we’re giving the community every chance possible to receive vaccinations,” UCC Director of Community Engagement Richard Greco said.
“We’re so thankful that the staff at Hope & Esperanza Community Health made the time to provide this important resource at our event.”
The event is being run in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Amerigroup, Barat Foundation, Clara Maass Medical Center, Creatively We Release, Hope & Esperanza Community Health, Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, MexiBoraSalsa, Nami, NJCRI, NJ Department of Health, Partnership for Children of Essex County, Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ, The Hub Arts and Trauma Center, UnitedHealth Group, Wfa House and Wynona’s House of Child Advocacy.