An organization in San Mateo is working to build a better Bay Area using the beauty of kitchens. SolMateo is a women-led volunteer group that raises money for mental health services. The 42nd annual signature self-guided kitchen tour is in May and will showcase some of the Bay Area’s most inspiring talents and homes. All proceeds go toward helping the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County and nonprofit Starvista Crisis Prevention Center. Nancy Minnig, co-chair of the kitchen tour, said her decision to join the organization was personal. “For me personally, I’ve had family members who have struggled with mental health issues – I actually lost my sister and her daughter to drug overdoses. So it impacted our family greatly. So it was very important to find a way to help others to also gain support for myself," she said. The Kitchen Tour is Friday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on tickets or to join -- go to www.solmateo.org

Mark at the Mic has a conversation with Alexandra Strambi, Sara Furrer and Diane Elcan 3 Board Members of Sol Mateo. Sol Mateo is the proud sponsor of the 41st Signature Kitchen Tour, a self guided self paced tour of 5 beautiful homes in San Mateo Park, Hillsborough and Burlingame. SolMateo is a group of dedicated volunteers to fund services for people living with mental illness, thoughts of suicide, and homelessnes. The Kitchen Tour is scheduled for Friday May 19 from 10am to 3pm.

SolMateo had a booth at the Burlingame Farmer's Market two Sundays in May to promote Mental Health Awareness Month to the community. For the second consecutive year SolMateo was unable to hold its May fundraising event the Signature Kitchen Tour. Instead, SolMateo teamed up with nine local small businesses who will donate a percentage of their online sales to SolMateo benefiting mental health, homelessness and suicide prevention. Visit solmateo.org and SHOP FOR A CAUSE during May! Together, we can sustain and enhance valuable programs for San Mateo County residents in crisis or challenged by mental health issues.

As someone who is passionate about mental healthcare advocacy and supporting important causes, I have a front-row view of the incredible work being done by the women of SolMateo and wanted to create an opportunity to showcase their efforts. With this in mind, I took the initiative to interview the leadership team and gain deeper insights into their mission, the organizations they support, and the importance of mental health advocacy to them. Through the interview, we learned about their fundraising efforts and the mental health organizations they support, such as MHA and Star Vista. We discussed why mental health advocacy is crucial to the SolMateo team, and how they got involved in the cause. Additionally, we delved into the details of their two annual fundraising events, The Kitchen Tour and the Holiday Auction which provide critical support for their programs and services. The interview served as a fantastic resource for those interested in learning more about SolMateo and its impact on the mental health community. It also provided information on how people can get involved with the organization and become a member to support their efforts. If you would like to learn more about SolMateo, their events, or how to get involved, please visit their website at https://www.solmateo.org/.

Since the Signature Kitchen Tour was postponed until 2021, Colleen Dowd Saglimbeni of CDS Interiors invites friends of SolMateo into her home for a tour and kitchen design tips.

Celebrating Mental Health Month - Camille Kelley of Finding Sparks joins SolMateo with helpful tips on relieving anxiety.

David Mendell of Kerns Fine Jewelry on supporting SolMateo.

Featured at the 2019 Holiday Auction & Luncheon highlighting SolMateo and the agencies it supports.

A partnership of Community Advocacy Through Art (CATA) and the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County. This video explores the issue of homelessness and mental health and the nonprofits that address the issue and work collaboratively to bring awareness through art and storytelling. CATA is a project of the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation. Learn more at projectcata.com and mhasmc.org Filmed and Edited by Ana Avendano