Today is World Mental Health Day

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Mental health, according to the Surgeon General, “refers to the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.” Those who aren’t mentally healthy are therefore considered mentally ill. But many Americans take their mental health for granted until something goes wrong.

That’s why the World Health Organization (WHO) sponsors World Mental Health Day each year. Its goal, according to WHO, is to promote “open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention, promotion and treatment services.”

World Mental Health Day

This year’s initiative, which takes place today, Oct. 10, 2012,  focuses on depression worldwide.

Did you know that more than 350 million people suffer from depression? And while treatment does exist, fewer than 10 percent of people with depression receive it.

Help raise awareness about the prevalence of depression and mental illness worldwide by giving out mental health promotional items. Your giveaway may just inspire a suffering individual to seek help.

Vegetarian Awareness Month: Why Go Vegetarian?

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Did you know that 7.3 million Americans call themselves vegetarians? Some people are vegetarians for political or economic reasons, while others do it for their health. Help spread awareness about the benefits of vegetarianism this October during Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Vegetarian Diet

The awareness initiative kicked off on Monday, October 1 with World Vegetarian Day. The observance, headed by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS), promotes “the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism.”

Vegetarian diets can be very healthy. According to the Huffington Post, a study conducted by the German Cancer Research Center found that vegetarian men and women have significantly reduced risks of early death when compared to non-vegetarians (30 and 50 percent, respectively).

Lots of vegetarians refuse to eat meat because of how farm animals are treated. Pro-vegetarian lifestyle website ChooseVeg.com asserts that the “average vegetarian spares the lives of over 50 animals each year,” which adds up to thousands throughout a lifetime. That’s because many of the animals people eat are raised in horrible conditions known as “factory farming.”

Some choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle for the environment’s sake. Becoming a vegetarian can help ease the stress on Earth’s limited natural resources, reduce pollution, fight global warming and save certain animal species from extinction. Dr. David Brubaker, PhD elaborates: “The way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous.”

As you can see, there are so many different reasons one might choose to become a vegetarian. While Vegetarian Awareness Month is not about converting all of your friends and family to vegetarianism, it is the perfect time to introduce people to the reasons for and benefits of living a meat-free lifestyle. Use vegetarian awareness giveaways to help communicate your message!

Think Ahead: Awareness Months for Pets and Pet-Lovers

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If you’re household is like the 39% of households in the nation who call themselves dog-owners or the 33% in the nation that consider themselves cat-lovers, be sure to brace yourself for the month of October.

There is not one but two awareness months to keep an eye out for this coming month.

The first, Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month, is a month where we not only celebrate dogs adopted from shelters but promote awareness that there are still far too many dogs in kill-shelters. Only 21% of the millions of dogs in the United States have been adopted from shelters, leaving millions more to stay their lives out in small cages. (or worse) Be sure to visit a shelter in October for great pet giveaways and a great selection in breeds you’ll want to take home!

The second awareness month taking place in October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month. This month is a great way to promote humane treatment of all animals, whether wild or domesticated. In New York alone, there were 100 cases (1200+ animals affected) of animal abuse last year. These cases ranged from abandonment to violent shootings. Be sure to treat all animals humanely and to report any abuse cases to the proper authorities.

Whether you work for a shelter, pet store or animal hospital be sure to promote your name, favorite pooches and their safety/well-being with custom imprinted picture frames and pet products.

Red Ribbon Week: Everything You Need to Know

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Red Ribbon Week is the largest (and oldest) anti-drug initiative in America. Through participating in the awareness event, which takes place during the last week of October annually, Americans pledge to live life drug-free. Each year, approximately 80 million people take part in Red Ribbon Week activities. Red Ribbon Week 2013 will take place between October 23 – 31.

Wildflower Mini Seed Paper - Red Awareness Ribbon

What does the red ribbon mean?

The red ribbon, in a nutshell, is representative of support for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). But where did it come from?

What’s the history?

In 1985, undercover agent Enrique Camarena, was sent to Mexico to investigate the Mexican army, police force and government and their involvement in cocaine and marijuana trafficking. Camarena was kidnapped and was eventually found dead.

Just weeks after Camarena’s death, high school teacher David Dhillon and congressman Duncan Hunter formed “Camarena Clubs” — a high school program in which students pledged to live drug-free. Participating high schoolers donned red badges to honor the sacrifice made by Camarena. By 1988, the red ribbon had grown in popularlity, prompting President Reagan to make Red Ribbon Week a national observance.

How can I help?

There are many ways to participate in Red Ribbon Week. For example, students still wear red ribbons to show support for the initiative. Furthermore, schools, families, religious communities and businesses throughout the country hold Red Ribbon Week events each year to continue the anti-drug campaign. Some ideas involve sponsoring an essay or poster contest, organizing a parade and decorating school and office spaces in red. You can make your message last even longer by giving away Red Ribbon Week promotional items. Look for red giveaways that will complement your event or educational materials.

Climate Week NYC: ‘For a Propserous America’

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Every year since 2008, governments, businesses and organizations meet in New York City for Climate Week NYC. With this year’s event scheduled to take place just weeks before the U.S. presidential election, its theme is “For a more prosperous America.”

Climate Week NYC

According to the event website, “Climate Week NYC is an annual summit bringing together the world’s leading businesses and governments and an exciting array of public-facing events, all focused on driving a swift, massive scaling-up of clean technologies to create jobs and boost the economy.” The week-long initiative will officially launch on Monday, September 24, 2012 and run through Sunday, September 30.

What makes Climate Week NYC such an important event? Climate change poses very serious threats to America and its communities. As we look forward, we must work harder than ever to create a sustainable future for U.S. families.

Help promote Climate Week NYC by giving away eco-friendly promotional products imprinted with information on how to get involved.

You can also help raise awareness by following @ClimateWeekNYC on Twitter and/or Tweeting about Climate Week NYC with hashtag #ClimateWeekNYC.  Event organizers are always looking for volunteers, so if you’re interested, sign up here!

Promote Healthy Aging this September

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“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” Betty Friedan

Throughout our young lives, we fear aging. No one hopes for wrinkles. Nobody likes watching memories fade. But whether or not we want to grow old, we must.

While we have to age, we don’t have to do so unhealthily. Each September, Americans celebrate Healthy Aging Month — a national observance meant to promote healthy aging. According to the initiative’s website, “The main objective of Healthy Aging Month is to encourage local level Healthy Aging events that promote taking personal responsibility for one’s health… be it physically, socially, mentally or financially.”

Custom Imprinted Senior's Health Organizer Key Points

To help spread the word about Healthy Aging Month, HealthyAging.net suggests the following:

  • Organizing a Healthy Aging Walk-a-Thon
  • Giving away Healthy Aging materials
  • Plan an older adult reading night at your library

Will you promote healthy aging this September?

Think Ahead: Month of Freethought

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If you’re the owner of a business, you know that keeping up morale around the office one of your top priorities, often ahead of personal profit.

That’s why celebrating awareness months around the office is very important. Changes from monotonous activities are beneficial to boosting employee spirits and a great way to learn something new.

So for the month of October, give your employees the reins for Month of Freethought. This month encourages employees to celebrate individuality and to think freely. Hand out custom imprinted notebooks and have your employees write freely about any topic of their choosing. It’ll be a great way to get your employees talking and learn more about them.

National Public Lands Day: Help Make a Difference

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In 1994, a handful of federal agencies and just 500 volunteers organized America’s first National Public Lands Day. This year, the tradition will continue on Saturday, September 29. But what’s it all about, and how can you get involved?

According to the initiative’s website, “National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands.” Almost 200,000 volunteers participated in the 2011 event, covering 2,067 nationwide. Together they:

  • Built and/or maintained approximately 1,500 miles of hiking trails
  • Cleaned up about 500 tons of garbage
  • Planted an estimated 100,000 plants including trees and shrubbery

Canadian Horseshoe Falls with city of Buffalo, US in background. Clicked from Skylon Tower, Niagara Falls, Canada.

We all want to continue to enjoy our nation’s public lands, which include Yosemite National Park and Niagara Falls State Park. Therefore, events like NPLD are super-important. That’s why big names like Toyota and Northrop Grumman sponsor the initiative annually.

promotional Forget Me Not Butterflies Ornament

If you’d like to organize a local NPLD event, check out the official Media Kit. It includes great features like a calendar, social guide and sample letters. And consider giving away eco-friendly promotional products to make an even more memorable impression.

Promote Campus Safety to Students New and Old

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Promoting campus safety at colleges and universities is important all year long. But as educational institutions get ready to welcome back students, September is the perfect time for National Campus Safety Month.

The U.S. Office for Victims of Crimes reports that “Every year college students throughout the country become victims of stalking, sexual assault, robbery, homicide, and other crimes.” Keeping campuses safe requires collaboration between staff, students, administration, parents and community organizations.

But getting all of these people to work together for a common cause is no easy task. That’s why September is recognized each year as National Campus Safety Awareness Month. It’s a great time for various campus groups to raise awareness about how to stay secure on- and off-campus.

Here are some great college safety tips from TV’s Dr. Phil:

  1. The Buddy System. Always walk with a friend (or more) when you’re heading to or from an event.
  2. Drink Responsibly.If you are going to consume alcohol, please drink in moderation.
  3. Share Your Schedule. Your roommate(s) should have a general idea of your class schedule throughout the day.

How will you get involved in this important awareness initiative? You can invite local authorities in to share tips and advice, organize a campus-wide walk or fundraiser, or simply hand out promo national campus safety items at the dining hall or in the dorms.

Alicia Klein ID security badge

Remember, September is the ideal time to promote this awareness initiative. Incoming freshman and returning students will all benefit from your educational message. Let’s work together and keep colleges safe!

Breast Cancer Awareness: Everything You Need to Know

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A History of Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was established in 1985 and is still recognized every October in America. The goal of the awareness initiative is to promote fighting the disease by educating women on the importance of early detection and regular mammograms. By 1993, the pink ribbon had become a popular symbol for the fight against breast cancer thanks to Senior Corporate Vice President of Estee Lauder Companies, Evelyn Lauder. Lauder would go on to found The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Breast Cancer Facts

Unfortunately, there is still a lot we don’t know about breast cancer and what causes it. We do know that breast cancer is a disease that arises when harmful, or malignant, cells begin to form in healthy tissue. Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer. However, it can be treated and survived if caught early on.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Although researchers are not 100 percent certain about what can cause breast cancer, they have categorized the following as contributing factors:

  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Dense breasts
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Use of hormone replacement therapy
  • Breastfeeding history
  • Pregnancy history
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Changes in breasts
  • Exposure to radiation
  • Family history of breast cancer
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Coming in contact with Diethylstilbestrol (DES)
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Night time light exposure
  • Various chemicals found in:
    • Food
    • Water
    • Sunblock
    • Plastics
    • Lawn care products
    • Makeup

As you can see, there is far too much we still don’t know about breast cancer, its causes, and a cure. That’s why National Breast Cancer Month is such an important awareness initiative. Get involved this October; distribute breast cancer awareness promotional products at local fundraisers and walks.