The Kids Mental Health Foundation 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.
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.
