As Mental Health Awareness Month approaches, Somerville-based R&J Strategic Communications is looking to turn New Jersey’s sidewalks into a statewide canvas of hope.
The agency officially announced the return of its Sidewalks of Support campaign, inviting health care, human services, and nonprofit organizations across the Garden State to participate on May 19. The initiative encourages teams to step outside, wear green, and use sidewalk chalk to share messages of resilience and encouragement.
The second annual campaign aligns with this year’s theme from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): “Stigma grows in silence. Healing begins in community.” By placing messages in high-traffic public areas like parking lots, sidewalks, and local parks, the campaign aims to break the silence surrounding mental health struggles.
“The people working in health care, human services, and nonprofits pour themselves into caring for others every single day,” Tiffany Miller, executive vice president of R&J Strategic Communications said. “Sidewalks of Support was created to honor that commitment and to give those teams a moment to step outside, reconnect with each other, and spread hope.”
To lower the barrier for participation, R&J is providing free Sidewalks of Support kits to interested organizations. Each kit contains:
- Assorted sidewalk chalk.
- Inspirational message samples to spark creativity.
- Mental health awareness statistics to help educate the public.
Organizations must request their kits by May 1st.
The campaign is looking to build on the momentum of its 2025 debut, which saw a significant impact across the state. Last year, R&J distributed more than 30 kits and 1,000 pieces of chalk to organizations spanning 12 New Jersey counties.
Participating teams are encouraged to document their work through photos and video, sharing them on social media using the hashtag #SidewalksOfSupport. In the event of rain on May 19th, the agency suggests organizations move their activities to later that week.
