Warwick Cares Mental Health Support Fundraiser
The "Summer Celebration" fundraiser at Coquito Restaurant will feature music, dancing and much else.
On Sunday, August 27, Warwick Cares will host a "Summer Celebration" fundraiser at Coquito Restaurant in Warwick to support community mental health programs. Starting at 1p.m., the event will feature a lineup of talented performers, DJs, live music and dancing. Guests can also participate in raffles and bid on prizes at a silent auction, while enjoying Latin American cuisine.
What is Warwick Cares? Warwick Cares provides information, resources, life-saving, hope promoting signs, as well as offering trainings and sponsoring special events.
Board member Judy Battista, a longtime resident of Warwick, became a mental health and suicide prevention advocate after the loss of her son Daniel in 2008. She and her family founded "Tista 4 Life" in memory of Daniel, which offers outreach, music scholarships, support groups, art exhibits, and annual blood drives in his memory. And as a board member volunteering for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Battista also participates in advocacy forums in Washington DC, advocating for legislative bills and speaking to representatives for suicide prevention. A.F.S.P helped to advocate for the three digit number for a suicide and crisis hotline, 988, which was implemented nationwide.
“Think Global. Act Local,” says Battista.
This year, with the support of Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton and Village Mayor Newhard, along with a dedicated team of volunteers, Warwick Cares launched May Mental Health Month. This collaboration with the Town of Warwick and the Villages of Warwick, Florida and Greenwood Lake aims to bring awareness of mental health and suicide prevention, using signs promoting the mental health support number 988 and messages of hope throughout the community, as well as offering mental health training to the public.
The initiative was well received by the community with positive feedback from people of all ages. Other towns and villages also reached out and want to do their own version of Warwick Cares.
"That is my vision. That is my hope, that every town will do this,” said Battista, “and know they are not alone, that resources are available. We don't want any other family to have to lose a love one. There is help. There is hope. There is healing.”
Summer Celebration Fundraiser: For the August 27th fundraiser Warwick Cares invites you to celebrate life while raising funds to bring more of these initiatives during September Suicide Prevention month. "We are so grateful for the community support and the positive feedback received from this initiative,” said Battista. “Thank you to Coquitos Restaurant owners and staff for collaborating with us to help save lives, and to the amazing performers that will volunteer their talent. Mental health is important to all of us. But we can’t do it alone”.
Warwick Cares is requesting items for silent auction and raffles from businesses and individuals who would like to participate and join this vision. For more information, contact Judy Battista @ WarwickCaresSigns@Gmail.com or call 845 987 4207. To donate Items, please contact our Fundraising Chair Frances Bachmann at fbachmann@optonline.net Thank you. In Hope and Healing, the Warwick Cares Team, Judy, Hannah, Krstana, Roseanne, Raven, Jen, Kristina. Community focused news can only succeed with community support. Please consider the various subscription levels.