Why does this event exist?

The Walk and Health Fair provide an opportunity for all local mental health agencies, mental health professionals, people coping with mental illnesses, their families, friends, and people who understand how important it is to being mental health issues into the public awareness to join forces. By meeting together at an event where everyone is welcome, we can convey the needs of people with mental illnesses and have a positive impact on these issues in our community. Our three major goals are to:

• Dispel the myths about mental illnesses, which are chronic brain disorders similar to heart disease and diabetes
  
  
• Dissolve the disheartening stigma that prevents people from seeking treatment and hinders their recovery
  
  
• Raise funds and community awareness for our local mental health organizations that help people who are ill

For information on the myths and facts about mental illnesses, see Myths and Facts.