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Carpinteria Council proclaims May 2026 Mental Health Month, honors volunteers and Edison scholar
Summary
At its April 27 meeting, the Carpinteria City Council proclaimed May 2026 as Mental Health Month, heard remarks from local mental-health and community organizations, and recognized Reinaldo Cárdenas as Volunteer of the Year and student David Esquivel Belmonte as an Edison scholarship recipient.
The Carpinteria City Council on April 27 adopted a proclamation naming May 2026 as Mental Health Month and used the council chamber to recognize local volunteers and scholarship recipients.
The proclamation—adopted by the council—urged residents to join awareness and stigma-reduction activities under the theme "share more good days." Council invited county behavioral health representatives to speak; the county representative thanked the council, noted progress on local services and announced an open house for a new child-and-family clinic on May 1.
Amrita DeSandra, who identified herself as president of Home Breath, described ongoing community outreach and bilingual materials distributed to raise awareness. "We have been advocating for mental-health awareness year-round," she said, and introduced other board members present for the recognition ceremony.
The council also recognized student David Esquivel Belmonte, who received a $50,000 Edison International scholarship. Natalie Unis, who identified herself as a government-relations manager for Southern California Edison, said Edison selects 30 students nationally for the award; Belmonte told the council he plans to study civil engineering at USC and said the scholarship will be a tremendous help to his family.
Separately, the council adopted a resolution honoring Reinaldo Cárdenas as Volunteer of the Year for organizing and supervising the summer municipal softball league. The resolution credited Cárdenas with sustaining a multi-generational community tradition and keeping the program affordable and inclusive. Cárdenas accepted congratulations and thanked his family and the community.
The items were adopted by voice vote; the transcript records council action but does not include roll-call tallies. Officials and community leaders invited attendees to photographs and encouraged continued community involvement in mental-health initiatives, youth programs and volunteer opportunities.
