On Thursday, July 27, the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) launched the 5^th annual Week of Hope, a village-wide effort in Southampton, NY, to raise mental health awareness.  Over 100 businesses will display a large, yellow HOPE balloon in front of their doors to symbolize their commitment to advancing the conversation about mental health. Along with the HOPE balloon display, participating stores provided special hand-outs from HDRF, with the latest information on depression in the U.S. and how to spot signs and symptoms. 

Newly-elected Southampton Village Mayor William Manger Jr., HDRF founder Audrey Gruss,  and Executive Director Louisa Benton kicked off the campaign by placing the first HOPE balloon – environmentally friendly and re-usable – in front of the Veronica Beard Southampton store.

“I’m excited to have Mayor Manger here with us today to support our mission,” said Gruss. “The Southampton community has continued to embrace this campaign year after year, bringing light to the conversations about depression that can save lives.”

During the morning, Mayor Manger, Gruss and Benton were joined by track coach Eddie Arnold and a cadre of teen athletes from Southampton High School. Arnold and the students brought the bright yellow balloons to business owners including LoveShack Fancy, Ovando, Poupette St. Barth, and Veronica Beard, a major HDRF sponsor.

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 8th Annual Southampton Race of Hope on Sunday, August 6 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.

The 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.

The Teen Grand Marshals of the Race are Grier Hammond Henchy, the 17-year-old daughter of Brooke Shields, and Hayden Lucas, an NYC high school senior and leader of the newly formed HDRF Teen Task Force.   

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 Friday, August 4, HDRF will host the Hope Summer Seminar “How to Talk to Friends and Family About Mental Health,” with acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman at the Southampton Arts Center. 

From now-August 6, the Veronica Beard store on Main Street will hold Shop for Hope .Ten percent of all purchases will go towards HDRF’s life-saving research. 

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, Nancy Silverman, and Lis Waterman.

Week of Hope participating business owners included: 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, 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)

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 $50 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, Columbia University, 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.