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This holiday season, the Santa Barbara community is embracing mental wellness with innovative initiatives to support Mental Wellness Center (MWC). With a 77-year track record of experience and service, Mental Wellness Center has supported many thousands of local community members and their families facing mental health challenges, and significantly diminished the stigma surrounding mental illness. Throughout the month of December, several local businesses are helping MWC raise awareness and funding through creative collaborations, including clothing drives and holiday gift-giving promotions.
“We are so grateful to our community partners for their support,” said Annmarie Cameron, CEO of Mental Wellness Center. “Together, we are addressing mental illness and fostering a culture of understanding and compassion that empowers individuals to seek help, and ultimately thrive.”
“As a company deeply committed to the communities in which we live and work, Deckers Brands is proud to support Mental Wellness Center in raising awareness of mental health issues,” said Michelle Apodaca, Director of Deckers Gives. “Mental wellbeing is of critical importance, now more than ever, and many individuals in Santa Barbara face challenges related to mental health disorders. We are honored to include Mental Wellness Center as one of our 12 Days of Giving beneficiaries this year.”
Deckers’ 12 Days of Giving is an annual tradition, established in 2014 to support local nonprofit organizations in the Santa Barbara community. In the 12 days leading up to Christmas Eve, a different nonprofit receives a portion of the sales from the Deckers Brand Showcase each day, and Mental Wellness Center will be featured on December 18th.
Many other local businesses are supporting mental health in our community as well, including sweater/sweatshirt drives at Helena Avenue Bakery, Santa Barbara Public Market, Orange Theory, and the Coach Outlet on State Street. The Acme Hospitality Group, who describe their organization as “a family of people passionate about caring for people,” will donate a percentage of select menu item proceeds to Mental Wellness Center during the month of December. Participating Acme restaurants include Helena Avenue Bakery, The Lark, La Paloma Cafe, Loquita and Lucky Penny.
Lastly, Alma Rosa Winery has agreed to donate $10 for each of its 2022 North Slope Pinot Noir bottles sold through the end of December to MWC. Wine can be purchased through the Alma Rosa tasting room in Solvang or through their website https://www.almarosawinery.com.
“Today people are comfortable talking about mental health and wellness, and we are seeing this play out in the many ways local businesses are supporting our work,” said Cameron. “It’s a wonderful testament to the progress we are making in destigmatizing mental illness and a poignant embodiment of the generosity and spirit of the holiday season.”
About Mental Wellness Center
Celebrating 77 years of service to Santa Barbara, Mental Wellness Center provides mental health education to local students; a residential services program, which offers a home to more than 100 community members across seven residential sites; and serves individuals and families impacted by mental illness through support groups and social connection programs like the Fellowship Club, an onsite Recovery Learning Center, offering community and a variety of resources for those working on their mental health and wellness.