Over 40,000 Americans die by suicide every year. In an effort to spread awareness and educate the community, two local women are preparing to launch a photo-based movement called The Commit Campaign. Its mission is to break the stigma associated with mental health and mental illness, to ultimately reduce the nation’s suicide rate. This September at Boondocks Patio & Grill in Scottsdale the campaign will host the Inaugural COMMIT Campaign Fashion Show which will serve as the official kick-off for the organization.

Led by Miss Maricopa County, Christina Tetreault, and Director of Marketing for Value Trend Solutions and, Kelsey Oney—both survivors of suicide loss—Commit Campaign members strive to create a community that can speak freely on topics related to mental illness. The movement aims to educate through social media platforms, community networks, and events by sharing educational material and personal stories of those who are survivors of suicide loss and mental illness.

“We wanted to do something far beyond our normal networks,” says Tetreault. “Our vision is to provide a space where people find hope, and no longer feel alone with their current struggles—and to emphasize how important it is to talk about mental health on a daily basis. With how impactful photo-based social media is, we knew that this was the perfect way to spread awareness.”

The Commit Campaign Fashion show will be the beginning of the conversation on mental health issues. That evening, the runway will not only shine a spotlight on local fashions but the models themselves will be comprised of survivors of suicide loss, women from the Miss Arizona Scholarship Organization and a group of Arizona influencers.

“We are in the process of acquiring our 501c3,” says Oney, who also serves on the board for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Our goal is raise enough funds to plan a second fashion show in Nashville this spring, which would launch our annual remote fashion show series and grow this campaign on a national scale.”

What: The Inaugural Commit Campaign Fashion Show

  •  Featuring runway looks by State Forty Eight, Shop Olive You and 5 Two 3
  • Live performance by singer/songwriter Michael Land of The Michael Land Band
  • Appetizers provided by TQLA
  • Dessert table with treats from Krispy Kreme Donuts and Ruze Cake House
  • Silent Auction
  • Resource tables from The Valley’s mental health awareness and suicide prevention non-profit organizations

When: Friday, September 25, 2015 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Boondocks Patio & Grill 4341 N. 75th Street

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Tickets: General Admission $25

VIP Tables $600 – $1,500

To purchase, please visit the Commit Campaign Eventbrite