Beth Looney is OSF's Behavioral Health Navigator in Cambridge. She says the pandemic has left many people alone to struggle with a loss of hope.
In particular, Looney says seniors and children have been isolated from their families and friends. And Sunday's gathering at College Square Park will give people a chance to have some fun safely, outdoors with social distancing.
![Author Tom Akers holds up a copy of his book, Everett the Incredible.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/055c0d6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/718x960+0+0/resize/880x1177!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F5b%2F34e7eec74972a0044301dda98736%2Fhenry-mental-health-kids-book-author-tom-akers.jpg)
"One Incredible Day" will also kick off a collaboration with Tom Akers, author of "Everett the Incredible." It's a children's book about bullying. He and the mental health alliance plan to give a copy of the book to every first- through fifth-grader in Henry and Stark counties.
The music, food, and fun runs from noon until 4 pm on Sunday at Cambridge's College Square Park.
Mental health resources will be available, along with a petting zoo plus pork chops, burgers, and hot dogs from the Cambridge FFA.
The Henry and Stark County Health Department says its latest Community Health Needs Assessment shows 21.3% of people who responded reported "poor" mental health 1-7 days per month. And 8.6% reported "poor" mental health 8-30 days per month.
![This behavioral health clinic in Kewanee also provides mental health information and counseling.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b31e260/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x414+0+0/resize/880x626!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd9%2Fb2%2Fab3116534efe84671473d42837c3%2Fhen-co-mental-health-clinic-general-graphic-image002.jpg)