BLACK AMERICAN COUNCIL COLUMN: “Shout Out” Dive into Fresh Check Day

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By Makenna Reddix

On April 11th, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) held its first-ever Fresh Check Day. The College teamed up with esteemed groups like The Black American Council (BAC), Counseling Centers, and Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s (CMSD) Say Yes Cleveland to make sure the event kicked off with a bang. The purpose of the event was to “check in” on the mental health and wellness of college students.  

Fresh Check Day is the signature program created by the Jordan Porco Foundation to raise mental awareness in a college atmosphere where students feel comfortable talking about the issue. The Day is an uplifting mental health promotion and suicide prevention event that has real resources mixed with raffles, games, food, and music to allow students to connect and grow. One of its goals is to have communities to foster environments that look out for one another.  

Fresh Check Recap  

Fresh Check Day was like a one-stop shop for mental health support, academic help, community opportunities, and much more. It was all about celebrating mental health and making sure students know the resources that are in Cleveland. There were so many booths pushing out great resources, advice, and much more.  

Representatives from BAC were present from start to finish, greeted attendees as they arrived, ran booths, and did everything in between. BAC, whose mission is to provide programs that support student retention and academic success, hosted Fresh Check Day which had something for everyone including booths hyping up self-love and spreading awareness about mental health.  

CMSD Say Yes Cleveland hooked students up with tutoring, academic advice, and more. To keep things exciting, attendees could earn stamps by hitting up each booth and score some sweet prizes along the way. 

The Impact  

Events like The Fresh Check Day are essential for bringing students together and creating a supportive community on campus. As students, it can be challenging to seek help, but having a space like this where support is readily available makes a significant difference.  

“It feels good to know that there are people who care and understand,” said Tri-C student Mychale Gibson. “It encapsulates the essence of what Tri-C stands for as a place where students feel valued, supported, and heard.”  

Resource List  

A major highlight of this event was the abundance of resources available to attendees such as  The Pantry which provides students up to 15 pounds of items per weekly visit; Benefit Access Project Go helps ease financial challenges and barriers to education by providing links to food assistance, homelessness, child care, utilities, and healthcare resources; and Active Minds clubs which promotes mental health awareness and resources on campus.  

Organizations such as Nami Greater Cleveland provided mental health support, Journey Center for Safety and Healing provided advocacy for domestic violence and child welfare, and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health provided information on safe sex. These groups offered support and resources for students of all ages.  

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