April 2025 Newsletter
April brings renewal, and with it, exciting transformations at Garrett's Space!
This month, we were honored to welcome our new Executive Director, Antonio David Garcia who brings fresh energy to our mission of supporting young adults facing mental health challenges. Welcome, Dave!
We also reached a milestone moment with the groundbreaking of our residential center – a space that will soon become a sanctuary of hope and healing for countless young adults.
The spirit of service shines especially bright during Volunteer Appreciation Month, and we're privileged to highlight one of our dedicated volunteers whose compassion creates ripples of positive change throughout our community.
We're also inspired by a remarkable young person who is channeling their passion for swimming into fundraising for Garrett's Space—a beautiful reminder that healing and helping others often go hand in hand.
These stories embody what Garrett’s Space is all about: creating authentic connections, building resilience, and fostering a community where every young adult can feel truly seen and supported on their mental health journey.
Thank you for being a part of this work with us!
Wellness Program Corner
Our April in-person gathering brought our participants together for an evening of friendly competition and laughter at Putt-R-Round Mini Golf & Putt Arcade! Young adults from our wellness groups enjoyed mini golf, and most importantly, valuable time connecting with peers outside of our regular group sessions.
Our monthly in-person meetups are available to all Garrett's Space participants at no cost and focus on strengthening community bonds through shared experiences. Our professional facilitators attend these gatherings, providing continuity of support while creating a comfortable environment for everyone to engage at their own pace.
Whether someone is new to our programs or a long-time participant, these gatherings offer a relaxed environment to build connections while engaging in enjoyable activities.
We are so grateful to Putt-R-Round Mini Golf & Putt Arcade for hosting us this month. Thank you for providing a welcoming space where our young adults could come together, be themselves, and strengthen the connections that are so vital to mental health and wellbeing.
Thank You, Eva, for Swimming to Support Our Community!
Thirteen-year-old Eva Whinston has turned her passion for swimming into a powerful force for good! As part of her Bat Mitzvah project, this Tappan Middle School student has raised over $5,000 for Garrett's Space by swimming laps and collecting pledges from family and friends. We are so impressed with Eva's successful fundraiser and grateful for her support!
You're raising money for Garrett's Space as part of your Bat Mitzvah. Can you tell me about that?
For a Bat Mitzvah, you have a Mitzvah project which is an organization or cause that feels important to you. You either raise money or volunteer for them. I really wanted to support Garrett's Space because of a health class where we talked about depression, anxiety, and suicide. I wanted to help people who were struggling with these issues. When I mentioned this to my dad, he told me there's an organization run by some temple members, and I said, “Okay, well, I'm doing this now.”
What are your fundraising goals and how are you working to achieve them?
We sent an email out to our friends and family that are going to come to the Bat Mitzvah and said, "Hey, Eva is doing this Bat Mitzvah project, and we invite you to pledge an amount of money for each lap that she does in her swim meets.” So the season went on and everybody pledged an amount per lap. All in all, I think I swam 40 laps. And we raised $5,060 [so far]!
How have your friends and family responded to your choice to support Garrett's Space?
All of my family and friends have been really supportive. They say, “Eva, that's such a good Mitzvah project!" We recently volunteered in Israel, and when I told the leaders about it, they were impressed and said they would share the idea with their kids when they have their Bat Mitzvahs.
What has been the most rewarding part of your fundraising experience?
Probably seeing how the donation amount just kept going up and up. Also, learning that I can actually do something about mental health issues, not just ask people for money. I actually swam and did things to earn the money to help people. And after my Bat Mitzvah, I'm also going to donate some of my own money.
What would you like to tell other young people who might want to support organizations like Garrett's Space?
I would say put yourself out there and try to find causes that are important to you. If this wasn't as important to me as it is, I wouldn't have done as much as I did.
Thank you, Eva, for swimming in support of Garrett’s Space! To donate to Eva’s Bat Mitzvah project fundraiser, click here!
If you are interested in setting up a fundraiser for Garrett’s Space in honor of your birthday, a challenge or goal, or another occasion, contact us! We would be happy to set up a fundraising page for you so you can set a goal and share your page with friends and family. All funds raised will support new and innovative mental health resources for young people in our community!
Meet Kristen, a Garrett’s Space Volunteer
In celebration of National Volunteer Month, we're spotlighting one of our dedicated volunteers, Kristen Alexander (right in photo), who helps make Garrett's Space what it is today!
After spending 20 years on the East Coast, Kristen returned to her home state of Michigan to be closer to family and has embraced urban living in Detroit. Her connection to our mission is deeply personal. She’s the mother of two young adult children and at age 35, during a high-risk pregnancy, she developed antepartum depression, also known as prenatal depression, a mood disorder that can affect someone during pregnancy.
In the years that followed, she found herself "zigzagging through a splintered mental health care system." It wasn't until 2020 that she was diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression—a condition affecting 30% of people with clinical depression, where medication isn't effective. For her, progressive holistic therapies and lifestyle changes became the keys to returning to a fulfilling life.
This summer marks her third year supporting Garrett's Space events and our annual fundraiser. Since moving to Detroit, she's focused on building relationships with local restaurants, securing some of our more sought-after silent auction items. We can’t wait to see what she comes up with this year!
As a Garrett’s Space ambassador at events like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's "Out of the Darkness" walk, she's had meaningful interactions with families affected by suicide.
"I can think of no more significant cause than supporting young adults with holistic resources," she shared. "Helping them navigate challenges—not just to recover but to thrive—provides me with a strong sense of meaning and purpose."
When not volunteering, Kristen enjoys Detroit's Midtown neighborhood, where she works at a cooking school and a neighborhood market focused on locally sourced foods from Michigan urban farms. She loves live music, theater, yoga, and cooking in her free time.
Thank you, Kristen, for your support and dedication to Garrett’s Space! We are grateful to you!
Did You Know?
April is National Volunteer Month! As we celebrate the impact of volunteers everywhere, it's the perfect time to highlight how giving back doesn't just help others. It helps you too!
The power of volunteering extends far beyond the immediate impact on communities. Research has uncovered numerous ways that volunteering benefits your mental health and wellbeing!
When you donate your time and talents to support organizations like Garrett's Space, you're not only changing lives. You're enhancing your own health and happiness in meaningful ways.
Volunteering is associated with better mental and physical health outcomes
Volunteers typically experience lower rates of depression and mental distress
Recent long-term studies have confirmed that volunteering leads to better health -- not just that healthy people volunteer
Research shows volunteering correlates with increased life satisfaction, self-esteem, and happiness
One easy way you can volunteer for Garrett’s Space right now is by spreading the word about our work! Consider re-sharing one of our recent posts on Facebook or Instagram to your own network if you are passionate about building more mental health resources in our community.
How You Can Help
Thank you for your generous contributions to our efforts! Your support helps us offer free wellness groups and monthly in-person gatherings while we work towards realizing our vision of creating a residential space for young adults in need. We are excited to continue this journey together and are grateful for your ongoing commitment! Here’s how you can stay involved:
Volunteer: Join our dedicated team of volunteers to support events or help with tasks that keep our mission moving forward. To learn more contact sarah@garrettsspace.org.
Donate: Your generous contribution directly supports our programs, offering hope and healing to young adults facing mental health challenges. Every donation, no matter the size, makes an impact. Donate at our website.
Spread the Word: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. And share our mission with your network to help raise awareness and grow our community of support.