Hopeful Cities is a project developed by iFred. It is a marketing plan in action. It operationalizes hope as it creates awareness about the importance of it. It teaches while it talks. iFred was grown out of a need to rebrand depression, and provide tools globally that not just educate on the importance of hope, but teach the βhow toβ in the process. Reno, the first city to join the initiative, helped sponsor the program through Cares Act funding, recognizing how all aspects of the global pandemic impact mental health. As hope is a known protective factor for anxiety and depression, the more we actively practice our hope skills, the better we all are in the world. Hopeful Cities include free, downloadable materials that are continually being updated.
Hope is measurable, definable, and teachable. As we increase hope, we decrease the likelihood of depression and anxiety in the future, two of the greatest costs of mental health to cities and communities around...