August 2022
THIRD ANNUAL 24-HOUR VIRTUAL FUNDRAISER
FEATURES STAR-STUDDED LINEUP
It’s that time of year again! Our virtual fundraiser will be held beginning on Sunday, September 11th at 11:00 a.m. until Monday, September 12th at 11:00 a.m. The event will again be hosted by musician and Garrett’s close friend, Mario Sulaksana. We are also thrilled to be joined by a new host, Davy Rothbart, the founder of FOUND magazine and contributor to This American Life and The New York Times. Intended to inspire, educate and entertain, it will feature an amazing group of performers, inspirational speakers who have been touched by suicide and classes taught by leading fitness instructors. They’ll all shine a light on why Garrett’s Space is so desperately needed.
Participants include leading mental health advocate Patrick Kennedy, Rep. Jamie Raskin and Senator Gary Peters as well as comedian Rosie O'Donnell. You’ll also see mesmerizing performances, including Emilie Kouatchou, the first Black woman to play Christine in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and Reneé Rapp, who stars in Mean Girls and The Sex Lives of College Girls. We also will have a panel discussion with Chris and Erik Ewers, directors of the latest Ken Burns documentary about youth mental health called Hiding in Plain Sight, who will discuss the role of film in reducing stigma. We are so grateful for our sponsors: Autodesk, Sally and Tim Petersen, Denise and Daniel Hamburger, Leela and Peter Hamp, Ashley and Jonathan Oberheide, Frank and Jennifer Moore, Baird - Olson Bellfi Pham Group, Former U.S. Representative and mental health advocate Patrick Kennedy, Caitlin Klein and Joe Malcoun, Michael and Sandy Lippitt, Diane Orley/Daily Crunch Snacks, Retirement Income Solutions, Inc. and John and Marcy Sznewajs. We welcome more sponsors! If you’re interested, please contact Scott Halpert: scott@garrettsspace.org
The event again will include an online auction of amazing items from over 100 local businesses and individuals. If you have an item to donate for the auction, please contact our auction coordinator, Rachel Sulkowski: rsulkows@umich.edu
For details on the event, check out our website. You can see the livestream here. This fundraiser is our biggest event of the year and has the potential to raise awareness and a significant amount of money for Garrett’s Space as we move closer to reaching our goal to create a holistically focused residential center. So please tune in and spread the word widely!
A CONVERSATION WITH PEGGY GALIMBERTI,
OUR CLINICAL PROGRAM MANAGER
Word cloud developed by Garrett's Space participants.
It feels like we're building something beautiful together! Galimberti says.
Garrett’s Space’s Wellness Programming is off to a tremendous start. In the program, which is free of charge and has been virtual for now, young adults meet weekly for a support group with peers and movement activities. Since it started in August 2021, we have had 21 participants and enrollment is growing. We’ll be launching a second cohort this fall. We are grateful to our incredible facilitators as well as our Clinical Program Manager, Peggy Galimberti, who has helped ensure the program’s early success. Here, Peggy shares the ways it’s already helping our young adults.
What has the reaction from participants been so far?
We have had amazing feedback! Talking about mental health struggles in everyday life can be so difficult. There is so much stigma, judgment, and pressure for young adults to achieve and be "successful.” Participants share that it is so helpful to have a space where they feel seen, heard, and understood. Several have said that Garrett's Space groups are a place where they can be completely unfiltered and know that whatever they share will resonate with others. What a gift it is to learn that you are not alone and to hear and feel real support from peers!
What types of reactions have you found to be most gratifying and inspiring?
It has been incredibly gratifying to see the growth in our participants, both individually and as a group. They share openly and offer love, support, and concrete suggestions to one another. The fact that they have shared lived experiences allows them to connect quickly with new members. Participants said that they appreciate the support they receive and also appreciate the opportunity to support others.
What strengths do the facilitators bring to the program?
We have the most incredible facilitators ever! They are all such amazing humans- warm, kind and compassionate. Most importantly, they are all real and authentic. They create a safe space for participants.
How have the groups made participants feel less alone in their struggles?
During a recent group, we invited participants to share words that come to mind when they think of Garrett’s Space. Some of the words they chose were: Safe, encouraging, open, honest, sensitive, accepting and rewarding. I think this demonstrates that even when young people are struggling, they can connect in powerful ways. This is the beauty and power of peer support.
How are you building on the foundation you set for the groups?
We want to continue to be a space for young people to find support, connection, and learn and practice strategies to manage their mental health. We are learning, growing, and evolving every day, and will continue to seek out feedback from participants to assure that we are meeting their support needs.
How do you see the program evolving over time?
My hope is for steady, controlled growth. We definitely want to offer in person programming in the near future. Down the road, we hope to offer alumni groups for former participants, support for parents and families of our participants, yoga, healthy cooking classes... The possibilities are endless!
If you are interested in becoming a participant or would like to refer someone, details are here.
You can also contact Peggy at: peggy@garrettsspace.org
IN THE NEWS:
YOGA AT THE BIG HOUSE ATTRACTS 1,000 PARTICIPANTS
Garrett’s Space was thrilled to be the beneficiary of a portion of the profits of Yoga at the Big House and to have Julie and Scott Halpert as featured speakers at the event.
The field of Michigan stadium was filled with rows of yoga mats, as people of all ages turned out on August 6th in the sweltering heat to practice, led by Kacee Must, founder of Citizen Yoga. We are grateful to Kacee, who lost her sister to suicide and shares our commitment to preventing suicides among young adults, for her consistent support.
KNIGHT FOUNDATION HOSTS TWO EVENTS
TO BENEFIT GARRETT'S SPACE
The clouds parted the evening of August 4th, creating a perfect environment for the KnightFest. A total of 253 people turned out for cocktails, dinner and dancing to support Garrett’s Space. All the proceeds from the event, along with an upcoming golf outing, will go to our organization. We are eternally grateful to Knight’s restaurant and the wonderful board members of the Ray and Mary Knight Foundation: Don and Angela Knight, Monica Knowles, David Janda, Keith McKendry, Lindsay Kendrick and Ira Mark.