North Lake Tahoe-Truckee – May 25, 2021 — Sierra Community House, a non-profit that provides safety net services to the North Lake Tahoe-Truckee region, today announced a collaboration with Take Care Tahoe to leverage its popular messaging campaign to spotlight the many mental health benefits of nature. The partnership will help Sierra Community House and the Tahoe Truckee Suicide Prevention Coalition to expand its reach and help end the stigma that surrounds mental health. The campaign launched in May for Mental Health Awareness Month and is ongoing.
“We are proud to join the more than 60 partners that make the Take Care Tahoe campaign a success.” commented Paul Bancroft, Executive Director at Sierra Community House. “It’s been a tough year, and now more than ever we need to take care of our physical and mental well-being. The Take Care Tahoe campaign will focus on the many ways we can enjoy the Lake Tahoe region to improve our mental health including biking, hiking, swimming, and being in nature.”
“As the pandemic has made clear, getting outside is not only important for physical health but just as important for mental health. Take Care is honored to play a small role in bringing mental health awareness to our Tahoe community. ” said Crew Stover, Take Care Outreach Coordinator.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the highest levels of anxiety and depression reported in the United States, according to Mental Health America. They reported that this is a troubling trend being fueled by loneliness and isolation. We also saw an alarming number of children reporting thoughts of suicide and self-harm. Additionally, Sierra Community House reported a 200% increase in calls to its 24-Hour Crisis Line during the period of March 2020 through February 2021. The partnership to spotlight Mental Health leveraging the Take Care Tahoe messaging platform will help to break the stigma that surrounds anxiety and depression in youth.
About Sierra Community House
In 2019, four long-standing non-profit organizations – the Family Resource center of Truckee, North Tahoe Family Resource Center, Project MANA, and Tahoe SAFE – consolidated to form Sierra Community House. With locations in Kings Beach, Incline Village and Truckee, we offer a range of services that help individuals and families in the North Lake Tahoe-Truckee region thrive. Our mission is to connect and empower our community through family strengthening, crisis intervention, hunger relief, and legal services. To learn more or get involved: sierracommunityhouse.org
About Tahoe Truckee Suicide Prevention Coalition
The Tahoe Truckee Suicide Prevention Coalition (TTSPC) formed in 2013 out of concern for the mental health and safety of the youth in our community. The goal of the coalition is to provide education, outreach, and strategies that will mobilize our community to support the community and prevent future suicides. This is a collaborative effort involving a number of community agencies and is homed at Sierra Community House. www.TahoeLifeline.org
About Take Care Tahoe
Launched in 2015, Take Care Tahoe is the unified messaging campaign for the entire region, comprised of more than 60 partners that love Lake Tahoe and want to see more people connect with this beautiful natural environment. We believe Lake Tahoe is an environmental success story and a global role model for sustainability.
