Rise & Thrive: A Morning of Meaningful Conversation on Mental Health and Wellbeing
As the Community Foundation for Western Iowa’s Mental Health and Substance Use Fund continues its work to shine a light on the issues and opportunities facing our communities, this conversation felt especially timely. We hope those who attended found the discussion informative and engaging, and that you left with ideas and insights you can take back to your organization and teams.
Our fourth annual Rise & Thrive event on Friday was truly energizing. Nearly 75 community and nonprofit leaders gathered to learn from one another and take part in an honest and thoughtful dialogue about mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. The room was full of connection, curiosity, and a shared commitment to doing better for the people we serve and work alongside.
The morning was enriched by a group of insightful speakers who shared personal experiences and professional perspectives on supporting mental wellbeing at work. We were grateful to hear from Amy Luckenbill, DMA, SPHR, Board President of the Human Resource Association of the Midlands; Julie Strohfus, Vice President of Retail Financial Services at Centris Federal Credit Union; Molly Mullin Verble, Executive Director of The Kim Foundation; and Beth Morrissette, CEO of Parlay Consulting and Chair of the Mental Health and Substance Use Fund committee. Their perspectives helped spark meaningful reflection and conversation among attendees.
We also want to extend our sincere thanks to Centris Federal Credit Union for sponsoring this year’s event, to the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce for partnering with us, and to Seven One Two for providing a delicious breakfast that helped set the tone for the morning.
The Mental Health and Substance Use Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, is dedicated to informing, educating, and helping create solutions around mental health concerns in our communities. Events like Rise & Thrive are an important part of that work, and we are grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s conversation so impactful.
To learn more about the Mental Health and Substance Use Fund and how you can support this work, visit https://givewesterniowa.org/strategic-priorities/mental-health-fund.html.
