Positively Caviar Awarded $10,000 Grant to Combat Mental Health

Baltimore, MD - Positively Caviar, Inc. (PCI) was named a winner of the Baltimore Elevation Awards and received a $10,000 grant from the Baltimore Corps. This award allows personalized support to people of color who are Baltimore City residents piloting novel approaches to strengthen Baltimore communities.

The grant will allow Positively Caviar to continue the work of combating the mental health crisis by providing youth with an informative and interactive space to discuss mental wellness strategies to counter stress and adversity. PCI does not intend to replace formal mental health programs; instead, we complement them. Rather than mental health being a dark place to discuss negative emotions, the workshops are focused on shining a light on mental wellness. At the conclusion of the 11-month grant period, awardees will have the opportunity to showcase their projects to prospective funders.

Baltimore Corp’s mission is to enlist talent to accelerate social innovation in Baltimore and advance a citywide agenda for equity and racial justice and The Elevation Awards aim to directly leverage the assets of communities to pioneer new solutions in social entrepreneurship. As a result, leaders of the community will be more apt to provide solutions and support the early-stage pipeline of social entrepreneurs in Baltimore.

“Uplifting youth through actionable steps to increase mental wellness has always been the driving force to our organization and is needed now more than ever,” said Shayma Sulaiman, Chief Program Officer of PCI. “ We are honored to receive the Baltimore Elevation Award and we are so grateful to Baltimore Corps for truly believing in our vision.”

Positively Caviar, Inc. (PCI) focuses on using positive thinking and optimism as a vehicle to instill mental resilience and disrupt mental health stigmas in underserved communities. PCI provides science-based mental wellness workshops rooted in positive psychology to provide preventative strategies to curb stress and increase overall wellbeing.

For more information please visit: positivelycaviar.com

Positively Caviar Hosts Virtual Mental Wellness Workshop with Students of Northern Virginia Community College

On Thursday, October 8th Positively Caviar, Inc. was invited to host their signature B.U.I.L.D Mental Wellness virtual workshop with the students of Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). To help combat prevalent mental stressors Positively Caviar, Inc. interactively engaged with the students to discuss strategies on how to overcome negative self-talk, subdue adversity, and build mental resilience.

Courtesy of Positively Caviar, Inc.

COVID-19 has completely reshaped the college student atmosphere which requires most students to learn from home as opposed to in the classroom. Other factors, including midterms, the upcoming presidential election, and racial injustices happening in America have made it difficult for students to focus on their schoolwork while also reducing mental and emotional stress originating from external sources.

Through the workshop, Positively Caviar shared mental health strategies, activities, and resources to help students maintain a positive mindset. Team members shared the importance of affirmations, self-compassion, and regular meditation to help combat human minds in ruminating over fears, future, anxiety, and the past. Resources provided to student participants included meditation apps like Calm or Headspace and books that serve as a guide to help participants navigate a positive lifestyle.

“Positively Caviar, Inc. did a stellar job putting theory to practice and made the presentation very conversational,” said Courtland James, Coordinator of Student Life & Interim High School Outreach Coordinator. “I believe the students along with myself were able to take away a more positive mindset and a better outlook on life. The team was very relatable, informative, and unequivocally thought-provoking throughout the entire workshop.”

Positively Caviar continues to conduct virtual mental wellness workshops through Zoom with various schools and youth organizations during COVID-19. If you are interested in partnering with Positively Caviar, Inc., or if you have any questions about their mental wellness workshops, please visit positivelycaviar.com or email info@staybasedandpositive.com to find out more information.