MANCHESTER — Manchester Community College’s third annual “Fresh Check” event began Monday, and while COVID-19 may have altered its format, the focus on mental health has never been stronger.
Traditionally, Fresh Check was a daylong event on campus, but with government restrictions surrounding COVID-19, the event is going virtual with daily happenings over the course of the week.
“We know that this time has really been tough on the mental health of everyone with everything that’s going on — from COVID to the political situation, and Black Lives Matter,” Joseph Navarra, MCC counselor and coordinator of disability services, said. “There’s a lot of stress out in the world, and people are really struggling. It’s important that we figure out a way to support and address mental health however we can.”
Navarra said that the event strives to provide students with a supportive, safe, and caring environment to connect with others who recognize the importance of addressing the issues of suicide and suicide prevention.
The event is held in collaboration with the MCC suicide Coalition, CHR of Manchester and is a signature program of the Jordan Porco Foundation, Navarra said.
The Jordan Porco Foundation is a nonprofit focused on preventing suicide in high school, college, and college entry student population.
The foundation is named after Jordan Matthew Porco, an Andover resident who was a college student at St. Michael’s College in Winooski, Vermont, when he killed himself in 2011 during his freshman year. His parents, Ernie and Marisa Porco, created the foundation.
Each day this week, events will be held via virtual “booths” that address some aspect of mental health, Navarra said.
The 9-out-of-10 booth, for example, is a place where students not directly affected by mental illness take a pledge to recognize and support the 1-out-of-10 people who are battling mental illness, according to Navarra.
On Friday, a virtual dance party was held to kick off the event.
For more information, follow @wellnessatmcc on Instagram. A link to register is in the bio. This year’s hashtag is #MCCfreshcheckweek2020.
October 06, 2020 at 10:05PM
https://www.journalinquirer.com/connecticut_and_region/fresh-check-puts-focus-on-mental-health-at-mcc/article_68efc18e-07e5-11eb-a3a6-1b0990f7d097.html
'Fresh Check' puts focus on mental health at MCC - Journal Inquirer
https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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