More than 100 people joined Crossway Baptist Church in supporting those with mental health issues by hitting the track in the Mental Health CAREathon, run by LifeCare on Sunday, October 19.
The walk/run raised around $20,000 for LifeCare, which is Crossway’s community services arm, providing counselling and care for people who would otherwise not be able to afford these services. The fundraiser was held in Wattle Park, Burwood, and participants were sponsored to complete 2.5km, 5km or 10km events.
“Our motto was, ‘Run if you want, walk if you prefer – just care!’” said Andrew North, LifeCare’s Head of Partnerships and Development. “We had a mix of participants – some were interested in having a nice day out in the sun and fresh air, which is always great for everyone’s mental health. Others saw the LifeCare flags and knew someone associated with LifeCare, and that motivated them to contribute to what we do. It’s one of those things where it just takes a bit of effort to make a huge difference and every bit helps.”
The event also aimed to raise awareness of mental health issues, which Andrew said are becoming more prevalent in our state and our nation. “We have found that a lot of young people are affected by mental health issues currently. Some people face these difficulties due to financial hardship and social isolation, and some have not yet gotten back into the groove of day-to-day life post-Covid. There are cost-of-living pressures, the housing shortage, and the rise in social media use, which can all negatively impact people’s mental health at times.”
LifeCare provides mental health services, family violence care, a community pantry and community connection hub, and financial mentoring to the public regardless of whether they attend church. Last year, the organisation supported 4000 people – but Andrew would love to do even more. “The need seems to get greater each year. We’re doing everything we can, but we want to help more people and to keep up with the demand. The CAREathon can help us expand our offering.” Money raised in the CAREathon will go exclusively to the mental health division. Andrew is already looking forward to next year’s event which “promises to be even bigger and better!”