Have You Taken on the ‘Strive for Five’ Outreach Challenge during the Virus Crisis?
Just a few weeks ago, NYAPRS and the Coalition for Behavioral Health launched a ‘Strive for Five’ campaign to encourage New Yorkers to use a variety of strategies, including phone, text, web, social media and other applications and Zoom technologies, to reach out and offer mental health support to at least 5 individuals on a daily basis over the next month, during these extremely challenging and stressful times.
Even in this short time, we are gaining supporters in New York, but also in Ohio and as far as Scotland.
The media are showing interest as well:last Friday, NYAPRS’ Ruth Colon-Wagner did a TV interview for NYC television station Univision’s Spanish-speaking audience. See the clip at https://www.univision.com/local/nueva-york-wxtv/lanzan-campana-para-cuidar-la-salud-mental-de-los-habitantes-de-nueva-york-por-la-crisis-del-coronavirus-video.
The Challenge also was covered in the latest issue of Mental Health Weekly:
New York MH Groups Launch Campaign To Help People Stay Connected
Mental Health Weekly March 30, 2020
The Coalition for Behavioral Health and the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) announced last week the launch of a new campaign to help New Yorkers to reach out, connect and comfort one another as New Yorkers work their way through the COVID-19 crisis and social distancing, advocates announced in a news release.
The “Strive for Five” campaign aims to educate and encourage New Yorkers to use a variety of strategies, such as phone, text, web, social media, and other applications and Zoom technologies to reach out and offer mental health support to at least five people over the next 30 days. As movement is increasingly restricted, virtual check-ins grow more important each day, advocates stated.
“We encourage New Yorkers to connect with people who may be isolated, lonely or live alone, and to reach out to neigh- bors, friends, families and co-workers. First responders, health care workers and other individuals who are courageously keeping our es- sential services open also need sup- port now, as do caregivers who are hard at work taking care of others,” said NYAPRS and the Coalition.
See the Campaign’s video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co2GuMaxbWE&feature=youtu.be and please email us at striveforfivechallenge@gmail.com to let us know you are taking the challenge and use the social media hashtag #NYStrive5. Thank you!
Very special thanks to Kristin Woodlock for the inspiration for this initiative that we hope will, over time, bring much needed comfort and connection to countless New Yorkers when it is needed the most.