“Tree of Hope” Shines Brightly for Mental Health Awareness in North Dakota

One tree was lit outside West Acres, while others were lit in Jamestown and Bismarck

FARGO, N.D. — One of the brightest symbols for mental health awareness in the metro lights up in the sky for the first time this winter.

The Tree of Hope is an initiative spearheaded by two groups, including Mental Health America of North Dakota, to help erase the stigma for mental health issues in North Dakota.

Republican State Senator Judy Lee flipped the switch at this year’s lighting.

The tree has served as a symbol for mental health awareness for the last 33 years.

“The more that we talk about mental health, it helps erase that stigma. When you have stigma, it impacts funding, it impacts the ability to impact services, so it really does impact a lot, and so we need to do what we can to erase that stigma,” said Carlotta McCleary, the Executive Director of Mental Health America of North Dakota.

Similar tree lightings are taking place in Bismarck and Jamestown this holiday season.