Fair Lawn Group Works To Stomp Out Mental Health Stigma

Rachel Martin

05/06/2016 12:08 p.m.

Balloon hats were also part of the entertainment at Wednesday's Arts and Jams Festival. Photo Credit: *Tammy Irwin-Smith Facebook*

An orchestra also entertained attendees of Wednesday's Arts and Jams Festival. Photo Credit: *Tammy Irwin-Smith Facebook*

A poster on mental health awareness was on display at Wednesday's Arts & Jams Festival. Photo Credit: *Paramus NJ Stigma-Free Zone Facebook*

Rose Mary Klie and Tammy Irwin-Smith were two of the attendees at Wednesday's Arts and Jams Festival. Photo Credit: *Tammy Irwin-Smith Facebook*

FAIR LAWN, N.J. -- The Bergen Regional Medical Center hosted a "What is Mental Health? Arts & Jams Festival" on Wednesday, May 4, in partnership with the Fair Lawn Stigma-Free Zone Initiative.

The event -- featuring student art displays, games and prizes, food, and entertainment -- was in celebration of Mental Health Month.

The initiative's goal is to making Fair Law a stigma-free zone, for people with mental illness, by sharing resources, training and information. In April 2014, Fair Lawn Mayor John Cosgrove signed a proclamation declaring the town of Fair Lawn to be a Stigma-Free Zone.

Wednesday's event was about "stomping out stigma and having a conversation about mental health," Tammy Irwin-Smith noted in a Facebook post. "Free food, a live orchestra and crafts for the kids ... who could ask for anything more on a rainy Wednesday afternoon?"

For more information about the Fair Lawn Stigma-Free Zone Initiative, visit its website or Facebook page.

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