Taco John's in Heights Hosting Fundraiser for Mental Health

Over the past weekend, a local restaurant began handing out "five-minute mental health check" flyers to customers, as Mental Health Week kicked off on Sunday.

In an effort to spotlight the importance of mental health in Yellowstone County, Taco John's will be holding a fundraiser on Wednesday (10/6) from 4pm to 8pm at the Heights location of Taco John's at 420 Main Street. 25 percent of all sales at the Heights Taco John's will be donated to the Mental Health Center, which treats thousands of residents each year, most of who fall below the poverty line.

The Mental Health Center treats some of our most vulnerable populations including military veterans, senior citizens, and families with youth experiencing their first psychotic break.

Tammy Ratka is the General Manager of the Taco John's hosting the fundraiser and said it's what makes working at the Heights restaurant "so rewarding." Ratka said, "I love helping our community grow and succeed."

Development Director Kari Boiter from the Mental Health Center called Taco John's "a generous partner that truly goes above and beyond to make Billings a great place to live." Boiter also said the fundraiser would help "spread the word" about the importance of mental health, and the money raised is "much-needed" for the critical programs that the non-profit provides.

According to the mental health "check" flyers handed out by Taco John's, 50 percent of Americans will "meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life." It also showed that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. will have a diagnosable condition in any given year.

Mental Health Center (MHC) has been serving the needs of our community since 1971. Our compassionate, caring staff is experienced in a wide variety of counseling services including individual and family counseling and psychological services. Our ultimate goal at MHC is to help people of all ages overcome the roadblocks that keep them from enjoying a healthy, happy, productive life.

To learn more about the Mental Health Center, CLICK HERE.