On October 10th, 2024, Project Healthy Minds hosted a gala in New York City celebrating World Mental Health Day.
The gala and festival was hosted by TODAY Co-host Carson Daly at the popular Spring Studios space. The Project Healthy Minds gala supported the organization’s mission to connect Americans with mental health services via its free digital marketplace.
Attendees included Demi Lovato, Remi Bader, Stacey Bendet, Camille Fishel, Michael Rubin, Tunde Oyeynin, Ally Shapiro, Tom Werner, and more.
Savannah Guthrie, Daly’s TODAY Co-anchor, kicked off the event with opening remarks about the importance of Project Healthy Minds work.
“We can never underestimate the importance of this—just talking about mental health at all, taking on the silence and stigma that have so long surrounded this subject,” she said. “And we are committed to changing how we talk about mental health: without judgment or misunderstanding, with warmth and acceptance and recognition and humanity and, let me be a little mushy, with love.”
Following Guthrie, Daly shared his own mental health journey with the attendees. “I put in the work and learned how to understand and manage my anxiety. I’ve got tools now— therapy and medication, breathing and meditation, my family and my faith. Most importantly, I’ve come to accept myself as-is,” he stated.
The gala also recognized those making significant efforts to promote and support mental health initiatives.
Chance The Rapper was awarded Project Healthy Minds first-ever Trailblazer of The Year Award for his dedication to his non-profit SocialWorks. The Grammy award-winning artist also performed two of his most popular songs for the attendees.
Known mental health activist, singer, and actress Demi Lovato presented Michael D. Ratner with the Storyteller of The Year Award. “Having had the very personal opportunity to work with Michael and OBB on ‘Dancing with the Devil,’ I experienced firsthand the importance of his vision and guidance when telling our difficult stories about mental health,” Lovato stated in her remarks.
Ratner, the Founder and CEO of OBB Media, shared the importance of storytelling when it comes to mental health during his acceptance speech—and even gave a shoutout to Lovato!
“Young people are drawn to stories that reflect their experiences, including the struggles in your head and we need that now more than ever in the time of social media. We’ve had our audiences reach out saying they feel seen, that our stories have made them feel less alone, and that they inspired them to seek help,” he said. “When artists like Demi use their platforms, they can help promote healthier conversations and shift the narrative around mental health.”
Wrapping up the evening, Founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, Phillip Schermer, thanked the guests for attedning and left them with a sense of the organization’s mission.
“Whether you are looking for a psychiatrist or a therapist or a support group—whether you want virtual or in-person support—you can find a service, vetted by clinicians, that’s right for you. As I always say, it’s like OpenTable or Expedia, but for mental health services,” he stated. “Let’s all be agents for change. The time is now. Because he who saves one life, saves the world. And we don’t have one moment to lose.”
