Maternal Mental Health Walks

Why Walk?

The walks are for maternal mental health disorder survivors, families, those working with pregnant and postpartum women, and those who want to raise awareness for maternal mental health. Supporters bring their family members and friends and walk together to heal together, laugh together, and make a difference together.

Our Past Walks

2020 —

In 2020, more than ever, while living through a global crisis, we needed each other and needed to raise awareness for maternal mental health. We pivoted to invite TheBlueDot community to join the walk to raise money and awareness, and to hold the walk virtually, even before the COVID crisis struck.

Supporters were encouraged to create their own walk page in our online platform and add their story. They chose who to share their stories with, and invited them to donate. Virtual meant they got to choose their own course, what time they started, whether they ran or walked!

Where Did the Money Go? Funds raised helped to fuel TheBlueDotProject.org in raising awareness of maternal mental health disorders and fighting stigma and shame.

Show Commitment: We encouraged supporters to wear a #WalkTheBlueDot shirt (available in our BlueDot Shop) when they worked out, to help stay focused on their goal and bring awareness to Maternal Mental Health in their community.

Professional Group Coaching: We engaged a professional trainer to support our group training effort and provide Facebook Live sessions, and videos that walkers and their kids could exercise to.

Journals: Supporters were encouraged to consider using a journal to track their weekly activity to help stay focused and motivated.

Coloring Page: To help get the kids involved, show commitment, and share on their social pages, available on our website to download.

Social Media: Regular peer support and motivational posts could be found in our Facebook Group #WalkTheBlueDot! We encouraged walkers to tell the world they were getting healthy together for maternal mental health, and gave some ideas to post on their social pages.

Hold up their journal and take a selfie announcing their commitment to and training effort for TheBlueDot Virtual Run/Walk May 30. #WalkTheBlueDot
Post a short video or Boomerang video (Instagram) of them exercising to support maternal mental health. #WalkTheBlueDot
Tag a mama who they wanted to invite to join them. Encourage others to join the WalkTheBlueDot Facebook page. #WalkTheBlueDot

2019 —

The second annual ColorWalk™ was held by team leads who selected a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to hold their walk over a weekend in April or May. We suggested locations where moms and families convene, like an Earth Day festival, a mall, or State capitol, distributing materials to legislative offices (on a Friday) for those involved in advocacy.

Why Color?
Color dust gets attention, starts conversations and illustrates that motherhood should be full of color.

Motherhood ColorWalks were designed to be colorful with a splash of color, color dust to be exact. Team members wore white shirts and team leads ordered or made their own color dust. Walks kicked off at a central location (such as a home or restaurant patio) and teams splashed each other with color dust before starting their walks. Walkers were also provided with race bibs, where national and local sponsor logos were added.

Where Did the Money Go? Community based non-profit organizations addressing maternal mental health formed their own ColorWalk teams and received 80% of the funds raised by their team.

Funds raised by teams not affiliated with a local MMH non-profit organization assisted 2020 Mom with operational costs and supporting legislative and regulatory advocacy at the state and federal levels.

Awareness Materials: ColorWalks are about being together, raising awareness in local communities, and having friends and family "donate for distribution" of a specified number of awareness cards, as determined by the team. Packages of 250 or 500 awareness cards were provided to the team lead by 2020 Mom. Team leads who walked at malls were also sent 20 posters to distribute to shop owners who cater to families.

Awareness on Social Media: To further promote awareness, team members were encouraged to post pictures of their day, on social media with the hashtags #ColorWalk4Moms2019 tagging @2020Mom on Facebook.

2018 —

The first annual Motherhood ColorWalk™ was held in May, to kick off Maternal Health Month and Maternal Mental Health Month, to BE BOLD and raise funds and awareness for maternal mental health.

Where Did the Money Go? Community based non-profit organizations addressing maternal mental health formed their own ColorWalk teams and received 80% of the funds raised by their team.

Awareness Materials: Maternal Mental Health Walks are about being together, raising awareness in local communities, and having friends and family "donate for distribution" of a specified number of awareness cards, as determined by each team. Packages of 250 or 500 awareness cards were provided to the team lead by 2020 Mom. Team leads who are walking at malls were also sent 20 posters to distribute to shop owners who cater to families, so they can post them during the month of May.

Awareness on Social Media: To further promote awareness, team members were encouraged to post pictures of their day, on social media with the hashtag #ColorWalk4Moms2018 and tagging @2020Mom on Facebook.

2017 —

The Maternal Mental Health Walk™ to March for Moms® launched nationally to raise funds and awareness for maternal mental health disorders, which include depression, multiple forms of anxiety and the more rare postpartum psychosis.

To bring the message of maternal mental health to child bearing age women and families, passionate volunteer Team Leaders held 30 March for Moms® Maternal Mental Health Walks™ in 17 states throughout the country at March of Dimes (MOD) walk locations, with the support of the March of Dimes national office.

Why March of Dimes Walk Sites?

Untreated depression and anxiety during pregnancy is a leading cause of preterm birth. In addition, women who deliver preterm and/or have a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are at higher risk for MMH disorders.

Where Did the Money Go? Teams formed by community based non-profit organizations addressing maternal mental health kept 70% of the funds they raised, 25% went to 2020 Mom to use in their Ambassador Program and National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health, the remaining 5% went to March of Dimes. Funds raised by teams not affiliated with a local MMH non-profit organization were shared 95% by 2020 Mom and 5% by MOD.

Awareness Materials: At the walk, Blue Dot Balloons with Awareness Palm Cards tied to the bottom were handed out. 2020 Mom supplied team captains 125 balloons and palm cards at no cost.

2016 —

2020 Mom, host of the National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health (NCMMH), formed a walking team in our home town, Los Angeles. We did this to raise awareness at the MOD walk. We figured it was the perfect place to meet at-risk families and share information, all while getting some sunshine, exercise, and connecting with each other (things that keep our family healthy too!).

Awareness Materials: With a local sister non-profit, Maternal Mental Health Now, we passed out BlueDot balloons to families with young children. The balloons included informational palm-sized cards tied to them which could be removed and saved.