Green Light Project in Lincoln illuminates mental health struggles

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Mental Health Association of Nebraska is aiming to spread awareness throughout May by lighting the city green.

The nonprofit’s initiative, the Green Light Project, asks people to add green lights to their homes or businesses.

Amber Pendley, an executive administrator at MHA, says the goal is to destigmatize mental health.

“We’ve got some yard signs, we’ve got some lightbulbs, and people are really lighting up the nation in green together,” she said. “It’s awesome.”

Haleigh Kappel, an outreach peer support specialist at the nonprofit, says her own mental health journey helped her garner support for the project.

“Mental health isn’t always diagnosis and medications, mental health can be as simple as losing a loved one or a breakup,” she said. “It happens to all of us when we all need support sometimes.”

Older generations may not understand how prevalent mental health struggles are.

But Kappel says they don’t have to look far.

“It’s documented, it’s everywhere and, if you look closely, it’s probably in a lot of your families,” she said.

Pendley hopes the Green Light Project will get Lincolnites to talk about mental health.

“We want people to reach out,” she said. “We have so many resources here in Lincoln and in Lancaster County.”

For those interested in supporting the Green Light Project: Free signs and lightbulbs are available at the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department on the second floor.

They are also available at the Mental Health Association of Nebraska building at 1645 N. St.