To the Editor:

May is Mental Health Action Month. This is a time to pay attention, take action, discover ways to enhance your wellness and support those around you struggling with their own well-being. We encourage you to take an active role in your own well-being, connecting with those around you, identifying wellness activities, and learning more about the eight dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, spiritual, vocational, and financial).

As is true around the country, we’re in the midst of an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. As part of the #WiltonIsWhereYouBelong campaign, we are working to build a stronger, more interconnected community. Programs such as the Volunteer Fair at Wilton Library in September and the upcoming Community Cultural Celebration on Saturday, May 3 from 12-3:30 at the Wilton YMCA, as well as the Wilton Welcome all serve to unite community members while the Community Champion initiative celebrates members of the Wilton community for their ongoing contributions who are part of making our town the wonderful place that it is.

Throughout the month of May, we encourage you to identify both personal ways you can take action to prioritize your well-being, and also to join us at one of the many programs we’re hosting. (Learn more on the Wilton Youth Council Event webpage.) These include:

  • Saturday, May 3, 12-3:30 p.m.: Community Cultural Celebration at the YMCA (parking at Wilton High School)
  • Saturday-Sunday, May 3-4: Community Cultural Celebration: Restaurant Specials
  • Tuesday, May 6, 12-1 p.m.: Mental Health Action Month Lunch and Learn Webinar: How to Help When Your Child is Struggling with Vanessa Elias and Kim Zemo. Register online
  • Wednesday, May 14, 7-10 p.m.: Wilton Youth Council Community Marly’s Night
  • Thursday, May 15: Mental Health Action Day: Wear your Green Ribbon to show support for those who struggle with their well-being. Ribbons are available at Wilton Library.
  • Thursday, May 15, 10:30 a.m.: Join us at Wilton Library for a Mental Health Action Day Statement on Wellness, Support and Action.
  • Sunday, May 18, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Allens Meadow: Dads and Doughnuts
  • Wednesday, May 21, 12-1:30 p.m.: Spend 90 minutes to save a life! QPR Training (Question, Persuade, Refer) at Comstock Community Center

If you’d like to help be a part of planning these events, and so many more, volunteer with Wilton Youth Council. This month, carve out time to focus on your wellness — taking care of yourself makes for better partners, better parents and healthier people. How will you pave your path to wellness? Meet a friend for coffee or a walk, join a book group, plan a block party, try a new hobby, unplug, garden…. the possibilities are endless.

Chandra Ring
Executive Director, Wilton Youth Council

Caroline Mandler
Executive Director, Wilton Library

Vanessa Elias
NAMI, Thrive with a Guide
Co-Founder, Wilton’s Mental Health Task Force

Lara Paschalidis
Wilton Coalition for Youth

Wilton Youth Council presents “How to Help When Your Child Is Struggling” — Lunch and Learn for Mental Health Action Month

Join Wilton Youth Council for an insightful Lunch and Learn webinar with Vanessa Elias and Kim Zemo, to explore how to support a child when they’re struggling. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, May 6, from 12–1 p.m.

This webinar will cover important topics including:

  • Identification: How to know if a child is struggling
  • When Struggling Is Healthy: Understanding when struggling is good — and when it’s not
  • The Parent’s Role: How to help and empower a child
  • Creating a Positive Home Environment: Supporting both a child’s needs and a parent’s own well-being
  • Navigating School Communication: How to collaborate effectively with a child’s school
  • Seeking External Support: When and how to find the most effective resources

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable tools and insights for supporting children’s well-being! Register online.

Editor’s note: The letter has been updated to include additional signatories, including Caroline Mandler, Vanessa Elias and Lara Paschalidis.