The Kids Mental Health Foundation Kicks Off Mental Health Awareness Month, Celebrates Annual Kids Mental Health Day in LA

Malin Akerman, Soleil Moon Frye, Adina Porter, J.R. Ramirez, and more come together to promote kids' mental health

EVENT ASSETS:

KIDS MENTAL HEALTH DAY

THE NIGHT BEFORE DINNER

Credit: Getty Images for The Kids Mental Health Foundation

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Kids Mental Health Foundation, the nation’s leading organization promoting mental health for children, hosted its annual Kids Mental Health Day celebration co-chaired by Angel Carter Conrad and Corey Conrad at The Grove in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 2. The event kicked off Mental Health Awareness Month, bringing together over 3,500 families, caregivers, and community members.

Throughout the celebration, children and families enjoyed a wide range of interactive activities, including book readings, music, magic, prize wheels, friendship bracelets, airbrush tattoos, photo opportunities, and more. The activities were led by The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s expert clinicians as well as special celebrity guests, including Malin Akerman, who talked with kids as they played Plinko at the Happiness booth; Justin Chien, who led a martial arts demonstration; and Jessie Buttafuoco, Danny Franzese, Kensington Tallman, Raymond Lee, Ross Szabo, Yara Lasanta, and J. R. Ramirez. who all read children’s books from the stage. Guests also enjoyed magic shows by Dr. Tom, energetic dances by the LA Rams Cheerleaders and Stomp!, Stomp!, Rhinos!, a visit by Zeus, the Los Angeles Chargers Pup and service dog, and interactive GoNoodle performances throughout the day. Additional celebrity guests included: Adam Rose, Adina Porter, Christian Soto, Erinn Hayes, Iris Kendall, Jack Plotnick, Laura Marano, Leven Miranda, Mädchen Amick, Melissa Claire Egan, Soleil Moon Frye, Tom Payne, Tyler Davis, and more.

“Kids Mental Health Day has become our flagship event in the LA community, providing families with the opportunity to learn about our organization and build awareness of our resources designed to help support parents, caregivers, teachers, and coaches,” said Dr. Ariana Hoet, executive clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “It’s critical that parents learn that kids’ mental health conversations with their children don’t have to be scary. These opportunities are a crucial part of our mission to ensure mental health is a vital part of every child's upbringing.”

Angel Carter Conrad and Corey Conrad kicked off the event, welcoming guests by saying: “The Grove is so pleased to once again host this meaningful day packed with activities designed to boost children’s mental health and wellness. Kids' Mental Health Matters, and we all have the power to support kids’ mental health together.”

The event served as an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of the Foundation’s work, distributing over 2,000 mental wellness bags with free resources in both Spanish and English to empower adults across the United States to support children’s mental health and wellness with confidence.

The night before Kids Mental Health Day, the Kids Mental Health Foundation hosted an intimate celebration to kick off the weekend and celebrate the champions of kids’ mental health. The Foundation honored the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Para Los Niños, and Boom Broadcast for being fierce advocates in this work.

At the evening event, the Foundation’s new campaign “Kids’ Mental Health Starts With Us,” led by acclaimed filmmaker and advocate Soleil Moon Frye, premiered. This initiative included a documentary short and national PSA that combines the reach of celebrity voices with cinematic storytelling to share authentic conversations around kids' mental health and create lasting impact for families across the country.

The “Kids’ Mental Health Starts with Us” awareness campaign brings together Malin Akerman, David & Christina Arquette, Lance Bass & Michael Turchin, Anna Cathcart, Jordan Chiles, Angel Carter Conrad & Corey Conrad, Alexandra Daddario, Tyler Davis, Troy Garity, Lucy Hale, Oliver Hudson, Raymond Lee, Lisa Ling, and Christian Ramirez to normalize dialogue around mental health and encourage families to talk openly, access The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s free resources, and support one another—helping to ensure that no child feels alone in navigating emotional challenges.

Kids Mental Health Day was made possible through the support of this year’s premium sponsors, including Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Bread Financial, Caruso, and media partner Univision. As well as support from the Stage Sponsor, Safelite, the Surprise and Delight sponsors, Bread Financial, the LA Chargers Impact Fund, GoNoodle, Jasey’s Toy Chest, Paramount, and Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos!, and contributions from CAA Foundation and UTA Foundation. The Kids Mental Health Foundation extends its thanks for their invaluable support and commitment to raising national awareness for child mental health.

For more information and free kids’ mental health resources, please visit KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.

About The Kids Mental Health Foundation

The Kids Mental Health Foundation is the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States. To achieve its vision to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing, nearly 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise to power the Foundation’s free educational videos, guides and curriculum. To date, more than 33 million people have engaged with the Foundation’s materials, helping parents, educators and coaches be a guiding force for children all across the United States. For more mental health and wellness resources, visit KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.

About The Grove

Developed by Caruso in 2002, The Grove is one of the country's most acclaimed shopping, dining and lifestyle destinations, offering the best mix of retail, restaurants and entertainment in Southern California. Set on 20 acres adjacent to the historic Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles, The Grove offers a welcoming park-like setting with a vibrant pedestrian streetscape and first-class retail experience that successfully marries hometown charm with high-end shopping. This unique mix has earned The Grove recognition as the heart of the city – a "see and be seen" destination, a neighborhood gem and a community all its own. The Grove's award-winning design, first-class Concierge service and community-like ambiance have garnered numerous awards and recognition throughout the retail industry, including being named the "#1 Shopping Destination in Los Angeles" by TripAdvisor, and ranking #2 of Fortune's "10 Highest Sales-Generating Shopping Centers" in the country. The Grove also tops Shopping Center Today's list of top 10 shopping centers in the world based on sales per square foot. For more information, please visit The Grove at https://thegrovela.com or on Instagram @TheGroveLA