14 Towns, One Message: NJ Cross Town Mental Health Coalition Kicks Off Mental Health Awareness Month on Summit Green

SUMMIT, N.J. — What started as a single town's idea five years ago now spans 14 municipalities across three counties. On a warm spring evening on the Summit Green, mayors, council members, community leaders and residents gathered to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month as part of the Paint the Town Green campaign — a growing coalition committed to breaking the stigma around mental health one community at a time.The New Jersey Cross Town Mental Health Coalition, which includes towns across Union, Morris and Essex counties, hosted the event as a unified show of force — with elected officials, mental health advocates, community organizations and residents standing shoulder to shoulder around the green, surrounded by resource tables from local and regional organizations.From One Town to FourteenCoalition Chairman Debbie Merrick traced the campaign's origins back to New Providence, where five years ago she and Council President Nadine Geoffroy launched a local mental health committee alongside Councilwoman Lisa McKnight with a simple goal: raise awareness in a way people would truly see.It was committee member Colleen Kenny who gave the effort its name and its look."She came up with the beautiful concept of Paint the Town Green," Merrick said. "It was simple, it was heartfelt, and it was local — one town choosing to shine a light on mental health."From there, the campaign grew into Summit, then Berkeley Heights, and now stretches across 14 towns. Behind the scenes scaling and running the coalition are Ray Freaney, whom Merrick credited for the energy and infrastructure that made expansion possible.One of the coalition's newest and youngest members drew particular recognition. Jaden Cohen, a junior at Livingston High School, personally pitched her town's participation to her mayor and council — and made it happen.Mayors and Leaders Take the StageSummit Mayor Elizabeth Fagan opened the formal program, welcoming the crowd and framing the evening's purpose."Talking openly about mental health is not a sign of weakness — it's a sign of courage," Fagan said. "As a community, we have a responsibility to look out for one another. That means checking in on a friend, supporting a loved one, or simply listening without judgment."Fagan, a former physician, said she has seen firsthand how profoundly mental health shapes overall well-being, and praised the coalition's work in changing the culture of silence that has long surrounded the issue. She also thanked David Guida from Summit's Department of Community Programs and volunteer Annette Dwyer for organizing the event — noting it all came together in what she described as a 20-minute meeting.Representatives from all 14 participating towns were called to the front of the stage one by one, each taking hold of a section of a large green banner that was unfurled collectively as a symbol of the coalition's shared commitment. Among those participating were Mayor Al Morgan of New Providence, Berkeley Heights Council President John Foster, Mayor Paul Mirabelli of Mountainside, Mayor Jennifer Roland of Chatham Township, Mayor Robert Conley of Madison, Mayor Mark Taylor of Florham Park, Mayor Sean Klein of Livingston, and representatives from Scotch Plains, Westfield, Mendham Township, Mendham Borough and Chatham Borough.The MessageMerrick closed her remarks with a direct appeal to the crowd — and to the broader culture the coalition is working to shift."Good mental health doesn't mean you're always okay," she said. "It means recognizing when you're not and feeling safe enough to say it out loud."She acknowledged the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence in daily life, and cautioned against allowing it to erode genuine human connection."No algorithm can replace the feeling of truly being seen, and no app can replace the comfort of real conversation," Merrick said. "So let's keep showing up for one another."A Collective Reset — and a Dance PartyFollowing the banner unfurling, Shereen Bernaz, a yoga instructor at Yoga Six in New Providence and a Lululemon ambassador for Summit, led the crowd in what she called a "collective reset" — a brief guided breathing and movement exercise designed to give attendees portable mental wellness tools they could use anywhere.The evening closed with a community dance party on the green, organized by Summit's Department of Community Programs as a joyful, energetic send-off to cap Mental Health Awareness Month's opening night. Residents were invited to submit song requests at a nearby table as the music filled the green.The Rotary Mental Health Advocates and multiple rotary clubs across the participating towns were also recognized for their ongoing support of the campaign.For a full schedule of all events and additional information, please visit: NJ Cross-Town Mental Health CoalitionFollow the Coalition on social media:Facebook: NJ Cross-Town Mental Health CoalitionInstagram: @njcrosstownmentalhealthFor more information on the NJ Cross Town Mental Health Coalition and Paint the Town Green, residents are encouraged to contact their local coalition representative or visit their town's mental health committee.