A 5K in Zeeland next month aims to raise awareness about the risk factors of suicide and show people who are struggling that they are not alone.

The 9th annual Love & Lean Walk/Run for Mental Health is scheduled for April 26 at Zeeland High School. You can sign up to run or walk a 5K or to walk 1.5 miles. Check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. and the events start at 9 a.m. Memorial signs will line the route.

Barbers and hairstylists say the trust their clients put in them means they often know when someone is struggling with their mental health.

“They just trust us right away, as soon as they sit in our chair. Whenever someone’s trusting you with their appearance, they automatically just feel more comfortable with you, so they’re more willing to tell you things,” Mandi Byker, co-owner of Virago Salon in Grand Rapids, told News 8 Monday.

“There’s a surprising amount of people who just don’t really have someone to talk to in life, so when they get that half-hour with you, it’s really their time where they open up, they’re vulnerable and they really talk about how they’ve been doing,” Chris Lapham, owner of Avenue Barber in Grand Rapids, agreed.

Sometimes, hairstylists and barbers can take on the role of unofficial therapist while a client is in their chair. The Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan is offering free trainings so they’ll know how to respond.

“Oftentimes, they’re the best conversations that can happen: How are you doing? How’s your week going? What are you up to this week? … You establish relationships with that person that you’re going to trust someone with something that is important to us all and that would be our hair,” explained Christy Buck with Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan Be Nice.

Guiding Light has been helping people in West Michigan overcome substance abuse for nearly 96 years.

“There’s just so many stories of people reconnecting with their family and then kind of starting this whole life over again,” Guiding Light Executive Director Brian Elve told News 8 Monday.

Guiding Light has long offered addiction rehab services for men and last year added programs for women.

Of the millions of people who have a substance use disorder, many never get treatment.

Mariah DeYoung, director of substance use disorder services at Pine Rest, said substance use disorder is defined as when somebody is using drugs or alcohol to the point where it is taking over parts of their life.

“It’s affecting relationships, affecting their family, they’re using more than what they intend to, and it’s just kind of causing problems and it’s getting out of hand,” explained DeYoung.

Millions of people across the country have a substance use disorder, including Madi Klariter, who had an alcohol problem for five years. Two times, her use of alcohol put her in a coma where she almost lost her life before she found sobriety.

“I grew up drinking fairly normally starting at the end of high school and going into college. But I was always the girl that blacked out,” she said.

When she went off to law school and was away from friends and family for the first time, she did everything she said she wouldn’t do.

For centuries, men were taught that they weren’t supposed to cry and needed to be strong. Many today are realizing that isn’t working and it’s OK to reach out for help.

Curt Barnes quickly found that out after watching his daughter Emily battle stage four kidney cancer and losing the battle in 2021.

“I was just sort of in shock after that. There’s a stage where you’re almost in trauma,” he said. “Fortunately for me, the company that I work for every year our Christmas party involves an afternoon of volunteering in the community… and I chose Gilda’s Club as my volunteer event, thinking that would be a good tribute to Emily.”

Stigma surrounding mental health treatment and how the mental health system is set up is preventing many men from seeking the help that they need, Michael Nanzer, CEO of Forest View, said.

“I think one of the biggest challenges that men face is (that) the mental health system isn’t really set up for men,” Nanzer said.

Nanzer said that if you take the typical blue-collar man and ask him to come into a room and share his feelings, it’s not something that the man will likely want to do. He said it goes back to the old stereotype: Women want to talk about the issues and men want to walk away and think about the issues.

Nearly one in 10 men experience depression or anxiety but less than half will receive treatment for it, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.

Eric Hipple #17 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass against the Washington Redskins during an NFL football game circa 1983 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.. Hipple played for the Lions from 1980-86 and 1988-89. Former Detroit Lions quarterback Eric Hipple knows what it’s like. His mother suffered with depression and it hit him after he had played for the Lions for nearly a decade and was transitioning out of being a professional football player.

There was plenty of fun for everyone Saturday at the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan’s Kids and Family Expo.

The event ran from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at DeVos Place. Some highlights included miniature horses, face painting, a petting zoo and Bundt cake walks. Storm Team 8’s Ellen Bacca also made an appearance, teaching kids about West Michigan weather with the interactive Weather Experience.

For parents, it's sometimes hard to take the little ones to the serious stuff.

On Saturday, the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids turned into a place for both "education and entertainment" at the Kids & Family Expo, presented by be nice., a mental health foundation in West Michigan.

"It's a celebration of connection, wellness and the importance of mental health in our everyday lives," said Christy Buck, CEO of be nice.

DeVos Place is buzzing with excitement as the ultimate family-friendly event returns this Saturday!

The highly anticipated 2025 Kids and Family Expo will occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering families the opportunity to create fond memories together while feeling empowered.

“Organized by the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, the expo incorporates the be nice. action plan, teaching families how to recognize, address, and empower positive mental health through engaging activities,” a release reads.