Berkeley Heights Proclaims Mental Health Awareness Month, Council Member Shares Personal Loss

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. — The Berkeley Heights Township Council officially proclaimed May 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month at its Tuesday night meeting, but it was a quiet, personal moment from one council member that left the room still.Councilman Bill Machado paused before his remarks to acknowledge that his brother would have turned 64 that day."My brother would have turned 64. We were what people call Irish twins, born just 11 months apart," Machado said. "That meant we grew up close in a way that is hard to fully explain."Losing his brother, he told the council and the public, forced him to confront something he had not fully understood before."How much mental health matters and how quickly it can become something you have to actively take care of," he said. "Grief isn't clean. It doesn't follow a timeline, and for a long time, I struggled with what that was."What helped, he said, was not pushing through it alone."What helped wasn't ignoring it or pushing through it. It was recognizing that I needed support and being willing to accept it."Machado urged residents not to wait and not to assume the people around them are fine."If you're struggling, don't isolate yourself," he said. "And if someone around you might be struggling, don't assume they're just fine. Reach out to them. That's how we get more good days together."A Community-Wide CommitmentThe proclamation, signed by Mayor Angie Devanney, recognizes that one in two people will experience a mental health crisis in their lifetime and calls on schools, families, businesses, health care providers and local leaders to work together to support well-being. It also declared Berkeley Heights' support for the New Jersey Crosstown Mental Health Coalition, a now 14-town grassroots partnership that promotes awareness and reduces stigma through shared initiatives.Among those initiatives is the "Paint the Town Green" campaign, which brought green ribbons to Springfield Avenue and Town Hall this month — purchased by the Rotary Club — along with large green bows crafted by Governor Livingston teacher Mike Maresca and displayed at local schools.Mayor Devanney, who founded the Mayor's Wellness Committee specifically to address mental health at the community level, said the effort is deeply personal for her as well."I really want to get into the men's mental health space," she said. "I think that's really where our men need — to be vulnerable, to struggle, and to come forward and talk about it."She pointed to a string of free community wellness events held this month, including a yoga and smoothies gathering and the fourth annual Tai Chi Day.The Kimberly and Wilson Foundation also delivered a mental health presentation to Berkeley Heights elementary school students this week that drew praise from those in attendance."It was unbelievable," Council Vice President Susan Poage said. "I'm so proud to work with Marianne Wilson. The kids were just so engaged."Resources and EventsResidents looking to get involved or find support have several upcoming opportunities. The Senior Information Fair takes place this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Town Hall, with mental health resources among the offerings. The Mayor's Wellness Book Club is currently reading The Art of Taking It Easy, described by the mayor as "an easy read, it is hilarious, and it talks about stress management in a very practical, very funny kind of way."The Live Peace of Mind yoga program is also ongoing in town.For those who may be struggling, council members offered a simple reminder before moving on with the evening's business."It's okay not to be okay," one council member said. "It's not a stigma to be struggling."For more information about mental health resources in Berkeley Heights, visit berkeleyheights.gov or contact the Mayor's Wellness Committee.For a full schedule of events and additional information, visit the NJ Cross-Town Mental Health Coalition. Follow the Coalition on social media: Facebook: NJ Cross-Town Mental Health Coalition; Instagram: @njcrosstownmentalhealthRelated article: Berkeley Heights Rotary Club 'Paints the Town Green' With Ribbons, Proclamation for Mental Health Awareness Month