Mental Health Advocates of WNY to host annual dinner at Atrium@Rich's

Dinner will honor Niagara Falls School District with Community Impact Award; Patrick P. Lee Foundation and WBFO with Advocacy Award; Doug Bronson with Volunteer of the Year Award; Henry Harris/Veterans One-stop Center of WNY with Volunteer of the Year Award; Bruce Nisbet/Spectrum Human Services with Professional of the Year Award; and Kyle Okposo/Buffalo Sabres with Courage to Come Back Award.

The Mental Health Advocates of WNY (MHA) will host its 57th annual dinner and auction beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the Atrium@Rich’s. This is the MHA’s signature event and biggest fundraiser of the year.

The auction will open at 6 p.m., along with drinks and hors d'oeuvres, followed by a sit-down dinner and program to acknowledge those who have made a difference throughout the year in support of mental health issues.

At the dinner, The Patrick P. Lee Foundation and WBFO will receive the MHA’s Advocacy Award for the impact they’ve made in the community through normalizing the conversation about mental health/illness through their Mental Health Initiative. WBFO’s “Mental Health Initiative” is a two-year project that is funded by The Patrick P. Lee Foundation. The project will provide in-depth coverage of mental health issues and help to build the mental health literacy of the community.

Niagara Falls School District will be presented with the Community Impact Award, as it has taken a number of steps to address the mental health needs of youth in the community. Administrators have trained their entire district in mental health first aid, invested in early social-emotional learning, and hosted a nationally known suicide-prevention speaker.

Bruce Nisbet, president and CEO of Spectrum Health and Human Services, will receive the Professional of the Year Award for his dedication to the mental health community in Western New York over the course of his 40 year-plus career.

Kyle Okposo of the Buffalo Sabres will receive the Courage to Come Back Award for his outstanding resiliency and ability to rise above his mental health challenges and share his personal experiences to help individuals who are going through similar situations. In 2018, Okposo became a campaign advocate for JustTellOne.org, addressing the issues of depression and suicide.

Doug Bronson, a dedicated court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer, is being honored as Volunteer of the Year.

Henny Harris, a retired U.S. Marine who volunteers for the MHA’s Operation Children of the Military Program, is also being honored as Volunteer of the Year.

Table sponsorships are available for $1,500, $5,000 and $10,000. Individual tickets are $100. To become a sponsor or purchase tickets for the dinner, visit www.mhawny.org or contact Kelly Miskovski at 716-886-1242, ext. 326, or [email protected].

About Mental Health Mental Health Advocates of WNY

For more than 50 years, Mental Health Advocates of WNY, formerly the Mental Health Association of Erie County, has promoted the mental health and well-being of the community through education, public information, prevention programs, and training, while supporting individuals and families living with mental illness through advocacy, treatment linkage, and outreach services.

To learn more about Mental Health Advocates of WNY, call 716-886-1242 or visit www.mhawny.org.