BURLINGTON – Many people struggle with mental health quietly, often without realizing how many others around them feel the same way. Recently, Burlington residents gathered at Grand View Farm to break the silence through open conversations and shared experiences.
Mental Health Awareness Night wasn’t just a typical resource fair or community event. It felt more personal than that. Across the room, neighbors who had never met before found themselves in honest conversations about stress, anxiety, isolation, grief, recovery, and the reality that mental health touches nearly everyone in some way.
The event was organized by Shift Studios owner Kris Fabbri and Select Board member Mike Espejo, with support from Burlington Youth & Family Services, the Council on Aging, Burlington Public Schools, the Board of Health, and the Burlington Police Department. Local businesses including A Whole Bunch Flower Market, Burlington Famous Pizza, JulieAnne’s Bakery & Cafe, Crack’d Kitchen & Coffee, Viet Citron, Goodnight Johnny’s American Music Bar, and Wegmans also donated to support the evening — a reflection of how many different parts of the Burlington community came together to make this happen.
The idea behind the event came from the growing belief that conversations around mental health can no longer stay in the background.
Espejo shared, “I think mental health issues are something that’s a real problem in this country. With the pace of life these days, most of us don’t stop and take the time to check on ourselves.”
He also acknowledged the hesitation many people still feel when it comes to openly discussing mental health.
“There’s a stigma attached to these types of issues,” he said. “While nothing is physically wrong, your entire state of being can be disrupted when you are not in a good mental state.”
That concern carried into the night itself. Espejo was initially unsure whether residents would feel comfortable showing up.
“I was very worried about turnout and maybe that many people wouldn’t show up because they wouldn’t want to be ‘seen’ at an event like this,” he said. “When I sat back and saw all the people in the room, I became very happy knowing the night was a success.”
For Fabbri, whose work through Shift Studios has centered heavily around mental wellness and connection, the night represented something bigger than awareness alone.
“Mental health has become the ‘why’ behind everything I do,” Fabbri said. “I’ve seen firsthand how connection, movement, and community can change lives.”
Throughout the evening, residents built relationships with local organizations and learned about resources many didn’t realize already existed right here in Burlington. Still, the heart of the night was found in the simple interactions between residents.
“The most meaningful moments were the conversations happening between people who had never met before,” Fabbri said. “Seeing individuals connect, share their experiences, and realize they weren’t alone was incredibly powerful. That’s where real change begins, in human connection.”
By the end of the event, what stood out most wasn’t necessarily the programming or guest speeches. It was seeing Burlington show up for one another in a way that felt genuine, vulnerable, and deeply human.
Espejo, Fabbri, and the entire Town of Burlington hope attendees walked away with a simple but important reminder: it’s OK to not be OK.
For a few hours at Grand View Farm, mental health wasn’t treated like something hidden behind closed doors. It became a community conversation — one filled with honesty, support, and the reminder that nobody has to navigate these struggles alone.