6th Annual ‘Week of Hope' Spotlights Depression Awareness In Hamptons

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Once again, an event in the Hamptons will spotlight efforts to tackle depression.

On Thursday, July 25, the Hope for Depression Research Foundation kicks off its sixth annual Week of Hope summer tradition in Southampton to raise mental health awareness.

As part of the effort, stores throughout Southampton display large, yellow flags in front of their doors,"transforming sidewalks into a sea of sunshine to symbolize their commitment to advancing the conversation about mental health," organizers said.

More than 100 businesses take part in the Week of Hope, including Jennifer Miller Jewelry, Johnny Was, Paul Stuart, Ralph Lauren and Veronica Beard, a major HDRF sponsor, organizers said. Revoa sunglass brand, will also celebrate the Week of Hope at their Soho location in New York City, with a percentage of sales from July 29 to August 4 benefiting HDRF’s mission.

HDRF founder and chair Audrey Gruss, a longtime Southampton resident, will place the first flag in front of the Veronica Beard store, located at 84B Main Street in Southampton, at 10 a.m.

"I’m thrilled to be celebrating our sixth annual ‘Week of Hope’ in Southampton," said Gruss. "Our community is completely devoted to spreading mental health awareness and supporting our mission to find better treatments for anxiety and depression.”

Along with the HOPE flags display, participating stores will have special handouts provided by HDRF with the latest information on depression in the U.S. and how to spot signs and symptoms.

The Week of Hope began in 2018 to serve as the lead-up to HDRF’s signature summer event, the Race of Hope 5K to Defeat Depression.

This year, the week culminates in the Ninth Annual Southampton Race of Hope; the event takes place on Sunday, August 4 at 8:30 a.m. around Lake Agawam. The race attracts morethan 500 participants from the tri-state area and beyond to "unite as a community and raise mental health awareness and fund depression research," organizers said.

This year’s celebrity grand marshal is founding senior master instructor at SoulCycle, author and mental health advocate Stacey Griffith. Griffith will be joined by co-grand marshals of the Race of Hope, Audrey Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, who is an HDRF advisory board member and resides in East Hampton.

"Today we recognize the overwhelming rates of depression and suicide in the United States, and HDRF is continuing to work to find real solutions through extensive research into novel treatments," Gruss said.

One hundred percent of revenue from the Race is allocated to groundbreaking research into the root causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments.

To sign up or learn more, click here.

The Week of Hope also offers several other events to raise awareness and funds for depression research:

- On Thursday, August 1 at 11 am at the Southampton Arts Center, HDRF hosts the Hope Summer Semina, “How to Stop Procrastinating and Reach Your Full Potential,” with Dr. Peter Freed, psychiatrist and the founder of Slothzero, a company dedicated to helping individuals overcome procrastination. For tickets, click here.

- A special viewing of Charms of Hope, a fine jewelry collection by Hamilton Jewelers, will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Southampton Arts Center (prior to the start of the seminar on August 1.

- From July 29 to August 4, the Veronica Beard store on Main Street in Southampton will donate 15 percent of all purchases in support of HDRF’s life-saving research. On August 1, following the seminar, Gruss will host a Shop for Hope event at the store from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., serving desserts and champagne.

- On August 1, Rene Barnes' designs will also be featured at the Veronica Beard shopping event. Rene Barnes will donate 10 percent of all sales to HDRF’s depression research from August 1 through November 1.

- On Saturday, August 3 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mark Badgley and James Mischka will hold a shopping event at Fivestory on Jobs Lane in Southampton. A percentage of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to HDRF and an exclusive signed Badgley Mischka sketch will be provided with each purchase.

- KIP will launch the special edition sleepwear HDRF collection; the collection features the brand’s luxe stretch cotton pajama set, pure cashmere robe and socks, along with a mulberry silk eye mask. The exclusive pajama set is available for preorder here and will be ready to shop on October 15. A percentage of all purchases will benefit HDRF.

The Week of Hope, in conjunction with the Race of Hope, has helped to raise more than $1 million for advanced depression research. The Race is supported by a sea of local residents and businesses.