#GIVINGTUESDAY
posted on Monday, November 7, 2022
Help us Make It OK!
Support our goal of raising $5,000 to train 100 new ambassadors across Iowa
Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that will take place on November 29. It’s a day for Iowans to donate to causes they are passionate about and make a difference in their community.
Mental health is an important issue that impacts our families, communities and state. In fact, 1 in 5 adults will experience a mental illness. For far too long, people have been afraid to open up and share experiences with mental illnesses for fear of being judged because of the stigma surrounding it. If an Iowan is struggling with a mental illness, stigma should never be a barrier to seeking help.
Again this year, the Healthiest State Initiative is focusing our Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts around Make It OK. Make It OK is a community campaign to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness so that, ultimately, more Iowans get connected with the resources they deserve.
Will you help us reach our goal?
Every $50 donation covers the costs for one Make It OK Ambassador to be trained. These ambassadors then take what they’ve learned about mental illness and how to be supportive and spread the Make It OK message in their own communities. Our Giving Tuesday goal of $5,000 would train 100 more Iowans as Make It OK ambassadors.?
In 2021, Iowans raised more than $10,000 to fund more Make It OK ambassador trainings across the state. Thanks in part to your support, we have been able to train over 1,000 Make It OK Ambassadors statewide to this date.
MATCH DONOR ALERT:
We are so excited to announce that Businessolver will be matching all donations made to Make It OK’s Giving Tuesday campaign, up to $5,000. That means the impact of your contribution will be doubled. Thank you Businessolver!
"Businessolver is committed to working with like-minded organizations to prioritize mental health and wellbeing in the workplace," said Rae Shanahan, Businessolver Chief Strategy Officer. "We're proud to be partnering with Healthiest State Initiative and their Make It OK effort to help break the stigma and help people share their stories."
Donate now to double the impact of your contribution!
A Make It OK ambassador is someone who has a passion for reducing mental illness stigma in their community and enjoys promoting mental health awareness. Having a robust and diverse network of Make It OK Ambassadors in all corners of the state is vital to the mission of increasing understanding and awareness of mental illness.
Here's what some of our partners around the state are saying about the importance of Make It OK in their community:
"I was trained as a MIO Ambassador in 2012 in Bloomington, MN. As a Faith Community Nurse, I saw so many people delaying access to care largely due to stigma. I wanted to be a part of changing that. Our family moved from Minnesota to Iowa in 2017 and it has been a joy working with Jami and the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative to help roll out MIO across Iowa. They truly are on a mission to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation and acknowledge that addressing mental health is vital to making that happen."
– Shelly Rock, Executive Director & Youth Advocate - The Bridge of Storm Lake
“My introduction to Make It OK came at a time when I was learning how to talk about my journey with mental illness. In 2008 I was diagnosed with bipolar type two disorder. For the first 10 years, I hid my diagnosis and hid my treatment (especially at work), because I was concerned about how stigma would impact my relationships and my career. I finally realized that confiding in those closest to me helped me manage my health more effectively – with my personal and professional roles! Now I am on a mission to help normalize the conversation about mental health and mental illness. I am grateful for the resources the Make It OK campaign offers.”
– Anne Carter, Health Equity Program Manager - Linn County Public Health
“Make it Ok has helped me to continually find ways to expand further my ability to advocate and teach about the effects of mental health. I have dealt with my mental health issues since I was seven. This has always been the main driving force for me to try and change the current mental health situation. Make it Ok is striving to be the one to help make that change that needs to happen and focusing on creating conversation surrounding the topic.”
- Lily Glenn, Make It OK Ambassador
This Giving Tuesday, your donation of $50 can help remove stigma as a barrier to mental health care. Your $50 will start conversations. Your $50 will increase understanding. Your $50 can help Make It OK. Will you donate $50 to train a Make It OK ambassador?
Will you donate $50 to ensure training for one Make It OK ambassador?
Make It OK is here to help educate Iowans and get the conversations going. Start by learning what a mental illness really is. Then, find out what to say and what not to say when someone opens up to you. You can also help others by sharing your own story to help people know they aren’t alone.
Thank you to our match donor!
Iowa Healthiest State Initiative is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit corporation, IRS Tax ID 45-4570642. All gifts to Iowa Healthiest State Initiative are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
