To support Suicide Prevention Month, the Office of Health Promotion is hosting a new event, “Fresh Check Day,” on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
Fresh Check Day is a mental health awareness and suicide prevention event. The program was started by the Jordan Porco Foundation, which was founded by Ernie and Marisa Porco in 2011 after they lost their son, Jordan, to suicide when he was a freshman in college. Through spreading awareness, education and creative programming, the Jordan Porco Foundation is working to prevent suicide in high schools, colleges and college-entry student populations.
Fresh Check Day will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oreo and include interactive tabling activities, peer-to-peer consultation, food, entertainment, prizes and giveaways. Kristy McCarthy, Associate Director in the Office of Health Promotion, helped organize the event and brought it to Villanova.
“Fresh Check Day aims to create an approachable and hopeful atmosphere where students are encouraged to engage in dialogue about mental health and help to build a bridge between students and the mental health resources available on campus, in the community and nationally,” McCarthy said.
The event is being welcomed graciously by organizations on campus, with 17 campus partner booths planning to be present.
“SAPA wanted to get involved with the Fresh Check Day event to help create a safe environment for students to learn about resources for mental health, specifically sexual assault and domestic violence,” Emma Komoroski, Co-Treasurer of Villanova’s Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Organization (SAPA), said. “We want to contribute to the ultimate goal of providing students with a safe and accepting environment where they can address and discuss mental health freely and with a supportive community.”
Each organization will have interactive activities to start conversations about and share resources for mental health, including specific mental health issues, high-risk populations, stigma reduction, and positive coping and life skills.
“The focus of tabling is to talk about and bring to light mental health struggles that many of us face, but may be afraid to look for help, or feel like our problems aren’t big enough to talk to someone about it,” Meg Zelch, Co-Director of the Bandana Project, said. “Fresh Check Day is a good reminder to see all the support that Villanova offers for students’ mental health and well-being, and that no struggle or problem is too little or too big. At our booth, I hope students can be comforted in visually seeing that many students have the same thought spirals and anxious thoughts, and that it’s not only you struggling.”
When the event starts, students can check in at the registration table to receive a stamp card that can be used at the tables. They will receive a stamp on their card when going to different booths and participating in activities. Once their card is filled out, they can return it to the check-in table and be entered to win one of the raffle prizes, which includes a $100 gift card to the bookstore and Refectory, as well as season tickets to all men’s basketball games at home.
“The goals for Fresh Check Day include making students aware of resources, encouraging students to ask for help, getting students more comfortable talking about mental health, and preparing our students for when a friend needs help,” McCarthy said. “Even if this program helps one student with their mental health, it will be a success.”
To learn more about Fresh Check Day, visit the Office of Health Promotion website or follow the Office of Health Promotion on Instagram, @villanovahealth.
