Life Insurance Concepts and the Bernstein Family Foundation underwrite Boca Raton's Promise inaugural "Shades of Blue" luncheon to support launch of organization's "Boca Brave" awareness campaign for mental health Boca Raton, Florida - July 8, 2014 - (iNewswire)
150 City of Boca Raton And Countywide Community, Business, Education,
Healthcare and Spiritual Leaders Embrace And Advance "Conversation-Starting" Mission
BOCA RATON, FL (July 2, 2014)--More than 150 community stakeholders learned how they can be BOCA BRAVE at Boca Raton Promise (BRP) "Shades of Blue" Luncheon underwritten by Life Insurance Concepts and the Bernstein Family Foundation to kick-off the organization’s new grassroots community awareness and education campaign to break the silence for mental health by starting critical conversations at home, school, work and play. Key BOCA BRAVE objectives are to help reduce the stigma that prevents children and families in crisis to seek help and gain access to much needed mental health services and treatment, raise sensitivity to those in such need, support youth-focused programming, first-responder mental health first aid certification, and raise funds to maximize opportunities to ignite and sustain the vital messaging.
Onboard to learn about and advance the upbeat, youth and family-focused BOCA BRAVE campaign were a cross-section of the community, including leaders in City of Boca, Palm Beach County and state government and agencies; business; healthcare and social services; public and private school education; all Boca Raton-based universities; clergy; service clubs and other nonprofits. Following a welcome from Ted and Deborah Bernstein, the luncheon program that was led by BRP Co-Founder Rita Thrasher who provided riveting insight into the current mental health challenges affecting today’s community youth, what BRP has been doing since 2007 to address it, and how all those attending can support the BOCA BRAVE campaign with its branded "conversation" tools that have been created and will be implemented for BRP by Boca Raton-based Kaye Communications Public Relations & Marketing (KCOM).
Following program highlights via video, a YouTube presentation of the campaign’s adopted anthem of the chart-topping song BRAVE performed by Sara Bareilles, attendees were asked "How Big Is Your Brave?" as they began collaborative table discussions with experienced conversation starters and pledged their individual and organization support. These included commitments to host employee Lunch & Learns, register staff or members for mental health first aid trainings, invite BOCA BRAVE speakers to enlighten at organization and business meetings, underwrite a public service broadcast and print series, join a BOCA BRAVE community event committee, and more.
"As business leaders, national life insurance industry innovators, and longtime residents of Boca Raton, Deborah and I were grateful, energized and proud when learned about Boca Raton’s Promise and its steadfast commitment, strategic action, and achievements in community collaboration on this issue, " noted Ted Bernstein, CEO of Life Insurance Concepts. "It is totally unacceptable, when you hear that studies focused on mental illness and violence validate that the ‘stigma’ attached to such illnesses prevent those who require help from actually seeking it. We cannot have the tragedies as experienced in Sandy Hook, Santa Barbara or Georgia Tech play out in our community."
When asked why is the mission of their Bernstein Family Foundation and Boca Raton’s Promise so important to them, Deborah Bernstein, president of the BFF and author of Mom’s Choice Award-winning children’s book, Stylish Stella shared that "like every one, there are times in our lives when circumstances are more than we can handle alone. Our family has been fortunate to have access to counseling and we have experienced its value. As we have seen too often, it can be the difference between life and innocent, needless suffering. Counseling at the point of crisis should be accessible and affordable to everyone who seeks it." BOCA BRAVE Campaign For Mental Health Launches At BRP’s Shades Of Blue Luncheon/2/2/2/2
Since BRP has ignited collaborative support on "breaking the silence" for mental health throughout Palm Beach County and has underwritten the launch of efforts and programming in Boynton Beach, Lake Worth and Delray Beach, she noted "It is now time for its home community of Boca Raton to
‘turn up its volume’ with BOCA BRAVE to become a model city on addressing this significant health issue."
"Through BOCA BRAVE, we are encouraging supporters to say, sing, write, post or share the messaging in their own way," noted KCOM Chief Strategist Bonnie Kaye. "Since everyone communicates differently, the BOCA BRAVE tool kit is filled with diverse conversation starters. We chose Sara Bareilles’s BRAVE to reach across generations as its upbeat music unites, encourages, and inspires while its lyrics are ‘spot on’."
In addition to BRP and the Palm Beach County Action Alliance For Mental Health, organizations represented at the "Shades of Blue Luncheon" included the City of Boca; City of Boca Raton Police Services; Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office; The School District of Palm Beach County; Palm Beach County Council of PTA; Florida Atlantic University; Lynn University; Palm Beach State College; Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce; Boca Raton Regional Hospital; West Boca Medical Center; Promise Healthcare; YMCA of South Palm Beach County; Faulk Center for Counseling; Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services; Schmidt Family Foundation; Bernstein Family Foundation; FAU Foundation; Rotary Clubs of Boca Raton, Downtown Boca, and West Boca; Spirit of Giving Network; Junior League of Boca Raton; Junior League of Boca Raton; various physician groups, mental health organizations, wellness centers, area churches, synagogues, and public and private schools, and media. Businesses represented included Waterstone Resort & Marina, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Sun Trust, Life Insurance Concepts, Sklar Furnishings, Investments Limited, Croskey Lanni, PC, Kaye Communications, and Duanne Morris LLP.
For more information on the BOCA BRAVE grassroots campaign and Boca Raton’s Promise initiatives, visit www.bocaratonspromise.org and click on BOCA BRAVE, "like" Boca Brave on Facebook, follow on Twitter, or call (561) 866-1850 or email bocabrave@BRPromise.org. For more information about ways in which individuals, businesses, organizations and associations can support the BOCA BRAVE grassroots campaign, programming, events and workshops, funding and sponsorships, contact Jon Kaye at Kaye Communications 561-392-5166-office, 561-756-3097-cell or jkaye@kcompr.com.
To support the Bernstein Family Foundation please visit www.Bernsteinfamilyfoundation.org
Contact Info:
Bernstein Family Foundation
950 Peninsula Corporate Circle
Suite 3010
561-988-8984
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Original Source: Life Insurance Concepts and The Bernstein Family Foundation underwrite Boca Raton's Promise Inaugural "Shades of Blue" Luncheon
