INDIANAPOLIS — People from around the world are coming together for World Mental Health Day–a day dedicated to raising awareness and educating others on prioritizing your mental health.

Here locally, the Indianapolis Colts are participating through their Kicking the Stigma initiative.

Back in 2020, the Colts and the Jim Irsay family launched Kicking the Stigma with the goal of raising awareness about mental health and working to remove the stigma often associated with mental health disorders. This week, they’re putting that initiative into action!

On Tuesday, the Colts will visit a local high school to help young people who may be struggling with mental health. Colts players and cheerleaders are coming together for a Mental Health Meet-Up with students at Western Boone Junior Senior High School. 

Then, in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Tuesday marks the start of the latest Colts PSA with its Shining a Light presentation on Monument Circle. It’s known as “Stronger Together” featuring the Irsays, Anthony Richardson, Ryan Kelly, Shaquille Leonard, DeForest Buckner, Kenny Moore II, Zaire Franklin, Grover Stewart and Jelani Woods.

You can catch the presentation at 8:14 p.m., 9:14 p.m., and 10:41 p.m. beginning Tuesday through Saturday.

“You don’t know who is listening. You don’t know the one person who is going to be affected by that 30-second or even 15-second PSA, realizing they are not alone,” said Kalen Jackson, the Colts vice chair and owner.

Also on Tuesday, the Colts will take a stand in New York City to join Project Healthy Minds at the world’s largest gathering for World Mental Health Day. Kalen Jackson will speak about the Colts’ efforts to end the stigma surrounding mental health and how the team is making a difference in Indiana and beyond.

“There is so much more to this than raising funds and that’s why we’re talking about the awareness piece so much and talking about the stigma piece so much because it is the biggest barrier when it comes to this topic still to date,” Jackson said.

Beyond World Mental Health Day, the Colts will host a unique fundraiser on Friday known as Beyond the Sidelines. The money raised will go toward the Kicking the Stigma action grants supporting different nonprofits and other organizations that raise awareness about mental health or provide mental health treatment services.

The grants will go back to support mental health organizations throughout the state. For more information on the Kicking the Stigma initiative, click here.