Homewood mayor proclaims May as Mental Health Awareness Month, honors local advocate

Mayor Alex Wyatt proclaimed May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Homewood and presented the proclamation honoring Ally Grace Broadhead for her local advocacy and suicide-prevention work.

The proclamation cited national recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month and described Broadhead's work bringing the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of Darkness campus walk to Homewood students and founding the Keeping Kindness Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Mayor Wyatt read the proclamation, saying the city "recognizes that suicide is preventable, that mental health must be a priority, and that we are all responsible for building a community rooted in empathy, understanding, and support." The council made no formal vote on the ceremonial proclamation.

Ally Grace Broadhead, who was invited to speak after the proclamation, thanked the city: "I do just wanna say thank you so much for just having the big honor of being able to share something that I'm very passionate about with the city of Homewood. It does mean a lot to me knowing that there are people out there who do care about this and something that affects each and every single one of us in our own unique ways." Broadhead's remarks described her work with students, the creation of a high-school Kindness Club, and her partnership with AFSP.

Why it matters: The proclamation formally recognizes local organizing around mental-health outreach and signals municipal support for prevention activities in schools and community groups. The council did not attach new funding or a directive to the proclamation; it is a formal recognition and encouragement to citizens, schools and organizations to observe the month with programs and activities that foster awareness, hope and healing.

Background and details: The proclamation states that Broadhead's advocacy began after a childhood conversation at age 12 and highlights the Out of Darkness walk as aimed at high school and college students. The text identifies the Keeping Kindness Foundation as a registered 501(c)(3). The mayor and council presented the proclamation during the May 12 council meeting and invited Broadhead to accept it publicly.

Looking ahead: The proclamation asks citizens and local institutions to observe Mental Health Awareness Month with relevant programs; no council action items, funding commitments, or follow-up tasks were included in the text of the proclamation.