The Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) launched the 5th annual Week of Hope, a village-wide effort in Southampton, NY, to raise mental health awareness. Over 100 businesses will display a large, yellow HOPE balloon in front of their doors to symbolize their commitment to advancing the conversation about mental health. In addition, participating stores provided special hand-outs from HDRF, with the latest information on depression in the U.S. and how to spot signs and symptoms.
Newly elected Southampton Village Mayor William Manger Jr., HDRF founder Audrey Gruss, and Executive Director Louisa Benton kicked off the campaign by placing the first HOPE balloon in front of the Veronica Beard Southampton store. Mayor Manger, Gruss and Benton were joined by track coach Eddie Arnold and a cadre of teen athletes from Southampton High School to help bring the bright yellow balloons to the store owners including LoveShack Fancy, Ovando, Poupette St. Barth, and Veronica Beard, a major HDRF sponsor.
The Week of Hope also features a Hope Summer Seminar “How to Talk to Friends and Family About Mental Health,” with acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman at the Southampton Arts Center on Friday, August 4th. You can learn more here. In addition, now through August 6th, the Veronica Beard store on Main Street will hold Shop for Hope, where ten percent of all purchases will go to HDRF’s life-saving research.
It all culminates with this year’s 8th Annual Southampton Race of Hope on Sunday, August 6 at 8:30 AM around Lake Agawam, a race that attracts over 500 participants to unite and raise funds for depression research. The Co-Grand Marshals of the Race of Hope are Audrey Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, who is an HDRF Advisory Board member and resides in East Hampton. The Teen Grand Marshals of the Race are Grier Hammond Henchy, the 17-year-old daughter of Brooke Shields, and Hayden Lucas, an NYC high school senior and leader of the newly formed HDRF Teen Task Force.
100% of revenues from the Race go to groundbreaking research into the root causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments. To sign up or learn more, please visit the website at hopefordepression.org