Mental Health Awareness - Chicago Wolves

The Wolves are committed to shining a spotlight on Mental Health Awareness. The organization is proud to help those struggling with mental health issues and other related causes through a series of initiatives and partnerships with charities to benefit those in need.

THE CHARITIES

The Wolves worked with five local, mental health awareness-related charities: Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors, Canine Therapy Corps, Erika’s Lighthouse, Paws for Patrick and Same Here.

Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors provides healing and compassionate support during the lonely and tumultuous aftermath of suicide, by helping people go beyond just surviving, to lead meaningful and productive lives.

Canine Therapy Corps empowers and motivates individuals to improve their physical and psychological health and well being by harnessing the human-animal bond.

Erika’s Lighthouse educates and raises awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Paws for Patrick connects young people with Emotional Support Animals and Therapy Dogs to aid them as they live with mental illness.

Same Here normalizes society’s perception of mental health and makes it part of our everyday conversation.

MENTAL HEALTH STATS AND FACTS

Mental Health refers to a person’s cognitive, behavioral AND emotional well-being, encompassing how they think, feel and act.
Mental illnesses are caused by a complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors.
1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year.
1 in 20 U.S. adults experiences serious mental illness each year.
1 in 6 U.S. youths have a mental health condition, but only half receive treatment.
In 2023, 20% of all high school students seriously considered suicide.
You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared or anxious.
A family member’s depression can have a significant impact on the rest of the family’s well-being.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
Check in on your loved ones. Support goes a long way.

To show your support throughout the season, check out the link to access a Chicago Wolves Mental Health Awareness T-Shirt!

HOCKEY TALKS

Hockey Talks is an annual National Hockey League initiative that focuses on promoting mental health and wellness, as well as sharing resources. It was inspired by former Vancouver Canucks player Rick Rypien, who tragically lost his battle with mental health challenges in 2011.

The Chicago Wolves are the third American Hockey League franchise to participate in the Hockey Talks initiative. The Chicago Wolves are dedicated to breaking the stigma and creating an open dialogue surrounding mental health. Wolves fans are encouraged to participate in the Hockey Talks initiative on social media to help break the stigma and spread awareness about mental health using the hashtags #HockeyTalks and #MentalHealthAwareness

Click to learn about the meaning behind the design!

Mental Health Awareness Jersey Fundraiser

During the 2022-23 season, Chicago Wolves players wore exclusive Mental Health Awareness jerseys, presented by Campfire Marshmallows, when they hosted the Rockford IceHogs on Jan. 28 and the Grand Rapids Griffins on Jan. 29.

These commemorative jerseys were available to own through a variety of initiatives with proceeds benefitting mental health awareness-related charities and Chicago Wolves Charities, driven by Kia.

Wolves forwards Ryan Dzingel, Jack Drury, Mackenzie MacEachern and Brendan Perlini, goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, as well as mascot Skates, had a different jersey for each of the two games. Having multiple jerseys enabled the Wolves and their fans to maximize their support of these important charities and their invaluable work.