Our Mission and About Us

Our Mission

Mental Health Matters is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to create awareness and reduce stigma associated with mental health through fun and engaging community events.

When you’re in the thick of it, it can feel isolating. We all go through tough times that can challenge our mental health. You are not alone. Let’s normalize that with more visibility & presence for mental health within communities.  Mental Health affects us ALL, from young to old age it is there and integral to our overall health.

We all go through times that are challenging to our mental health and well-being. Despite this, it is something that is not seen or heard of often enough. We want to change that, to make a difference so that we can start to change the declining rates of mental health that is staggering. We are hopeful that by having more visibility for mental health as other causes, people will find solidarity & comfort in this awareness.

Because
more visibility = more awareness = reducing stigma = changing perspectives

About the Founder

Erica Meisner founded Mental Health Matters in an effort to create more visibility within the Charlotte community for mental health. As a passionate runner and mental health advocate she saw a need for a race that was not available within the community.

Running is something she started with athletic conditioning but it turned into a love from there, races are a fun opportunity to bring people together and bring some excitement surrounding a specific cause.

“I always wanted to run a race for mental health – a topic that I think we should see more often within communities. I really love running and thought this was a great way to get people’s attention surrounding such an important and underlooked topic. It’s an opportunity to create awareness in a fun way and see the excitement that a race can bring; and most importantly try to make a difference… if I can positively affect one person, then I know I have succeeded.”