The focus will be on emotional well-being during a community event taking place in Peekskill on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Mount Olivet Baptist Church. The gathering, beginning at 2 p.m., aims to bring together youth and their caregivers to reflect on mental health. The event, titled Avoiding the Crash Out: Youth Mental Health Wellness, will promote a safe and judgment-free space to discuss these issues.
The initiative is organized by Positive ViBes, a youth program of Sun River Health, in collaboration with the Peekskill NAACP Branch 2170. In recent years, both groups have developed activities centered on community health and psychological wellness, with a special focus on the city’s young population. Their goal is to provide practical tools to cope with stress and daily pressures.
In October 2024, the workshop Just Chill was held in partnership with the Peekskill Youth Bureau and Hudson Valley Hospital to promote stress reduction through art-based activities and open conversations. Likewise, Sun River Health has combined brief talks, professional interventions, and creative exercises to address mental health in the daily spaces of young people. The upcoming program is expected to follow a similar structure, including discussion tables, testimonies, and hands-on workshops on emotional management and self-care.
During the two-hour session, participants will take part in guided conversations, breathing exercises, and artistic expressions designed to identify emotions and strengthen intergenerational communication. Informational materials on local resources, free counseling, and support services available in the city will also be provided.
The central message of the event is “Stop the stigma. Let’s talk about mental health.” The Positive ViBes program encourages young people to speak openly about anxiety, depression, or social pressure without fear of judgment. The Peekskill NAACP Branch supports this effort as part of its public health and community equity agenda.
Avoiding the Crash Out: Youth Mental Health Wellness is free and open to adolescents and young adults of all ages, as well as their parents or caregivers. A digital registration form is available. The first 25 young participants who register and attend will receive a gift card.
