SOCi Completes Week of Activities to Raise Money in Honor of Mental Health Awareness Month
The company’s Quarterly Day of Advocacy showcases its continued investment in supporting the mental health of its employees' and local communities’
SAN DIEGO — May 19, 2022 —
SOCi and its employees celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month with a week of activities to raise money and awareness to help address an issue that affects one in five Americans each year.
As events take place nationwide throughout the month of May, SOCi hosted charitable walks and related events during the month’s first week in San Diego and Austin, Texas.
“We at SOCi recognize the importance of promoting good mental health and mental health awareness among our employees,” said Monica Ho, CMO of SOCi. “During Mental Health Awareness Month it was important for us to underscore our commitment not just in the benefits and support we provide our employees but in other ways in which we can get out and help the broader community.”
SOCi joins companies nationwide in putting an additional focus on mental health. Employers are increasing mental health insurance coverage, access to services and resources, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
SOCi kicked off the first week of May with a week-long virtual event on Monday, May 2. Throughout the week, SOCi encouraged its employees to go outside, clear their heads, and get some exercise — all while raising donations and helping to make a difference. For every activity completed, whether walking or running a 5k, meditating or doing yoga for 30 minutes, or any similar undertaking, employees earned thousands of dollars in donations from SOCi to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Employees also had the opportunity to tap their friends and family to help donate to the NAMI for their activities as well.
On Tuesday, May 3, in Austin, SOCi and NAMI Central Texas hosted a mental health awareness and volunteer day to hear from a guest speaker who has been affected by mental health issues. Volunteers painted rocks to be placed in local parks as words of affirmation and to remember those who lost their battle with mental health, inspiring hope for others. In addition, volunteers stuffed goody bags to be handed out at future NAMI events. Founded in 1984, NAMI Central Texas, formerly NAMI Austin, is a chapter of the largest grassroots mental health organization in the United States.
“We are dedicated to improving the lives of all individuals affected by mental illness through education, support, and advocacy programs, and we were thrilled to partner with the SOCi team to help carry out our mission,” said Kate Hix, executive director of NAMI Central Texas. “It’s refreshing to see a company shine a light on mental health and put opportunities in place for its employees to not only give back to their community, but to give back to their own mental health as well.”
On Friday, May 6, in San Diego, SOCi team members met up in person at Balboa Park for a collective mental health walk, which unlocked a monetary donation to NAMI. Following the walk, the team relaxed at a nearby happy hour with live music to support their own mental wellness and to top off the Mental Health Awareness week.
SOCi’s celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting the mental health of its employees and the communities in which they work. In addition to the company’s institution of Quarterly Wellness Days for employees, SOCi will continue to hold its Quarterly Day of Donation and Advocacy throughout the year, with upcoming events focusing on the environment, hunger, and human services.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The National Institute of Mental Health, as noted by NAMI, mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States and affect 20% of Americans in a given year. In 2020, more than 26 million adults received virtual mental health services, 50% of which have a serious mental illness.
For more information about mental illness, resources and advocacy opportunities, visit the NAMI website at NAMI.org.
