On Thursday, July 25 the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) kicks off its sixth annual Week of Hope summer tradition in Southampton to raise mental health awareness.

During the Week, stores throughout Southampton display a large, yellow flag in front of their doors, transforming sidewalks into a sea of sunshine to symbolize their commitment to advancing the conversation about mental health.

Over 100 businesses are part of the Week of Hope, including Jennifer Miller Jewelry, Johnny Was, Paul Stuart, Ralph Lauren and Veronica Beard, a major HDRF sponsor.  Revo, an American heritage sunglass brand renowned for its polarized lenses, will also celebrate the Week of Hope at their Soho location in NYC, with a percentage of sales from July 29 to August 4 benefiting HDRF’s mission.

HDRF Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss, a longtime Southampton resident will place the first flag in front of the Veronica Beard store (84B Main Street, Southampton) at 10 am.  

“I’m thrilled to be celebrating our sixth annual ‘Week of Hope’ in Southampton,” said Gruss. “Our community is completely devoted to spreading mental health awareness and supporting our mission to find better treatments for anxiety and depression.”

Along with the HOPE flags display, participating stores will have special hand-outs provided by HDRF with the latest information on depression in the U.S. and how to spot signs and symptoms. 

The Week of Hope began in 2018 to serve as the lead-up to HDRF’s signature summer event, the Race of Hope 5K to Defeat Depression.  This year the Week culminates in the Ninth Annual Southampton Race of Hope on Sunday, August 4 at 8:30 AM around Lake Agawam.  The Race attracts over 500 participants from the tri-state area and beyond to unite as a community and raise mental health awareness and fund depression research.

This year’s celebrity Grand Marshal is Founding Senior Master Instructor at SoulCycle, acclaimed author and mental health advocate Stacey Griffith. Griffith will be joined by Co-Grand Marshals of the Race of Hope are Audrey Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, who is an HDRF Advisory Board member and resides in East Hampton.

Gruss said: “Today we recognize the overwhelming rates of depression and suicide in the United States, and HDRF is continuing to work to find real solutions through extensive research into novel treatments.”

100% of revenues from the Race go to groundbreaking research into the root causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments. To sign up or learn more, please visit the website at hopefordepression.org.

The Week of Hope also offers several other events to raise awareness and funds for depression research.

• On Saturday, July 20 Sage & Madison in Sag Harbor will hold Shop for Hope, featuring the Hope Fragrances Collection. 100% of all profits from the sale of Hope Fragrance will be donated to life-saving depression research. Other brands featured will include Dolce & Gabbana, Lauren Layne Swim, Ashley Starr Caftan, Olwen Jewelry. 10% of proceeds from all brands will be donated to HDRF. Shop online at www.sageandmadison.com.

• On Thursday, August 1 at 11 am at the Southampton Arts Center, HDRF  hosts the Hope Summer Seminar “How to Stop Procrastinating and Reach Your Full Potential,” with Dr. Peter Freed, acclaimed psychiatrist and the founder of Slothzero, a company dedicated to helping individuals overcome procrastination. Purchase tickets at www.southamptonartscenter.org.

• A special viewing of Charms of Hope, a fine jewelry collection by Hamilton Jewelers, will be held at 10:30 am at the Southampton Arts Center (prior to the start of the seminar on August 1). Shop the collection at www.hamiltonjewelers.com.

• From July 29 to August 4, the Veronica Beard store on Main Street in Southampton will donate 15 percent of all purchases in support of HDRF’s life-saving research. On August 1, following the seminar Mrs. Gruss will host a Shop for Hope event at the store from 2:30-4:30 pm, serving desserts and champagne.

• On August 1 Rene Barnes designs will also be featured at the Veronica Beard shopping event. Rene Barnes will donate 10% of all sales to HDRF’s depression research from August 1 through November 1. Shop her fine jewelry collection at renebarnes.com.

• On Saturday, August 3 from 3-6pm Mark Badgley and James Mischka will hold a shopping event at Fivestory on Jobs Lane in Southampton. A percentage of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to HDRF and an exclusive signed Badgley Mischka  sketch will be provided with each purchase. Shop online at www.fivestoryny.com.

• KIP, the brand renowned for premium monogrammed sleepwear, will launch the special edition sleepwear HDRF collection, featuring the foundation’s signature colors. The collection features the brand’s bestselling Luxe Stretch Cotton pajama set, Pure Cashmere Robe and Socks along with a luxurious Mulberry Silk eye mask. The exclusive pajama set is available for preorder now at www.sleepinkip.com/HDRF and will be ready to shop on October 15. A percentage of all purchases will benefit HDRF.

The Week of Hope, in conjunction with the Race of Hope, has helped to raise over $1 million for advanced depression research. The Race is supported by local residents including Janna Bullock, Arthur Dunnam and Roy Cohen, Alan Glatt, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Kim Heirston, Tania Higgins, Natasha Jeffries, Leonard and Judy Lauder, Sharon and John Loeb, Jr., Anne and Jacques Nordeman, Kathy Prounis, Hilary Geary Ross, and Lis Waterman.

Week of Hope participating business owners to date include: 27 Hampton Salon, Aboff's paint, Bean2tween, Breezin Up, Cheese Shoppe, Corwin Jewelers, egg New York, Flying Point Surf Shop, Fowler's Garden Center, Geary Gubbins Sports / Gubbin Running Ahead, Herrick Hardware, Hidden Gem, Hildreth's, Jennifer Miller, Johnny Was, Laviano, Loveshack Fancy, Main Street Optics, Ovando, Paul Stuart, Poupette St. Barth, Ralph Lauren, Roberta Roller Rabbit, Rogers Memorial Library, Saunders, Shari's Place, Southampton Inn, Southampton Publick House, Southrifty Drug Co., The 1708 House, Veronica Beard, and WM Rugs. 

About Hope for Depression Research Foundation:

HDRF was founded in 2006 by philanthropist Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. The mission of the HDRF is to spur the most innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders – bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet conventional medications today are outdated and do not fully work for 50% of patients.  HDRF is working tirelessly to improve the mental health landscape for every American.  The Foundation has provided more than $75 million through over 200 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented. Currently, HDRF has a potential new class of medication in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Stanford University. HDRF is also funding clinical trials into other novel therapeutics and diagnostic tests at Johns Hopkins, University of San Diego, and the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.