Saks is recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month with a multifaceted campaign highlighting the importance of mental well-being and to raise funds for the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation.
Among the components are a partnership with Dr. Deepika Chopra, the behavioral scientist, also known as the optimism doctor, as well as fundraising, employee events and a local grant program to support nonprofit organizations working to provide direct access to mental health care in their communities.
“Mental illness continues to affect millions of people across the U.S. every year, illustrating the continued importance of mental health awareness programs and the ongoing need to improve access to care,” said Marc Metrick, chief executive officer of Saks and Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation Board Member. “This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are proud to use our platform to inspire people everywhere to prioritize their mental well- being. With this campaign, we look forward to giving our customers the opportunity to help further the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation’s mission to make mental health a priority in every community, especially those where support is most needed.”
Saks has partnered with Chopra to create custom content that will be published across Saks-owned digital platforms throughout May. Chopra shares tools and tactics for building positive mental health when faced with the daily pressures of life, and how she uses fashion to evoke confidence and joy while juggling responsibilities as a mom, wife and business owner.
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Chopra will host a virtual event on Saks’ digital events and live commerce platform, Saks Live, on Wednesday and an in-person event on Monday at Saks Fifth Avenue’s reimagined West Coast flagship in Beverly Hills in support of the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation.
“Optimism is not just a mindset; it is a powerful tool for mental health,” Chopra said. “By embracing the role that optimism can play in supporting well-being, we can empower ourselves to navigate life’s challenges with resilience, curiosity and compassion while cultivating a healthier, happier mind. I’m thrilled to partner with Saks to bring much needed attention to combating mental health stigma and shine a light on the importance of increasing resources and accessibility — these are the two big challenges that greatly need our focus.”
To commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month, Saks will donate 10 percent of sales on saks.com from Tuesday to May 7 to support the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation’s mental health initiatives, with a maximum donation of $50,000. Customers can also further their support by shopping the Saks Fifth Avenue branded merchandise collection at saks.com/mentalhealth, which donates at least 50 percent of the purchase price from each item to the foundation year-round.
As part of its commitment to local communities, the foundation is renewing its local grant program for the third year. This program distributes $250,000 to nonprofit organizations seeking funding for mental health programs, with a goal to support local organizations providing direct access to care in their communities.
Since 2017, the Saks fifth Avenue Foundation has granted nearly $7 million to nonprofits and programs supporting mental health needs, reaching 11.7 million individuals with messages combating mental health stigma and directly servicing more than 680,000 people with mental health care through funded nonprofit programs. The Foundation’s primary mental health nonprofit partners include Bring Change to Mind, Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, Girls Inc., Inspiring Children Foundation and The Trevor Project.
