Atlanta Philanthropic Community Helps Skyland Trail Raise $1.4 Million for Mental Health Treatment

ATLANTA–On Thursday, October 17, 2024, Skyland Trail hosted its annual Benefits of Laughter, the signature fundraising event for the nonprofit psychiatric treatment organization in Atlanta. The event has raised more than more than $1.4 million to support the Mark C. West Financial Aid Program at Skyland Trail, surpassing the previous record of $1.3 million raised through the event in 2023. Additional donations to Skyland Trail through Benefits of Laughter will be accepted through December 31, 2024.

Since the inaugural Benefits of Laughter in 1998, attendees from the Atlanta philanthropic community have helped raise more than $20 million in total for the evidence-based mental health treatment services at Skyland Trail.

More than 550 guests at The St. Regis Atlanta in Buckhead learned about the power of mental health treatment to save lives from guest speaker Thea Lewis, an adult residential graduate. Thea shared her powerful recovery story with the crowd, igniting a wave of applause in support of her journey. A video of her speaking out about her journey towards wellness can be found here.

“The impact of giving is about granting access to exceptional treatment. Every contribution helps ensure that people can find the lifeline they so desperately need,” said Thea in her closing remarks. “Skyland Trail does more than change lives–it saves them. I know this because it saved mine.”

After Thea’s remarks, comedian Dustin Nickerson, known for his highly-rated Amazon stand-up special Overwhelmed, closed out the event with entertainment and laughs.

Financial aid allows teen and adult clients in treatment at Skyland Trail to engage in and complete psychiatric residential treatment and day treatment programs. Clients benefit from evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as well as holistic wellness programs like art, music, and horticultural therapy; fitness and nutrition counseling; life skills training; and vocational and academic services.

The success of Benefits of Laughter is due to the efforts of volunteer leaders. The event was co-chaired by Frances Kerr and Sharmila Prabhu. Brennan Spry served as chair of the corporate committee. The patron committee chairs were Suci and Hardie Jackson.

Support from the Atlanta community was led by Presenting sponsor, Delta Airlines. 

Diamond sponsors included: Atlantic American; the Connolly Family Foundation; Cox Enterprises; Gray Television; and Southern Company Gas Foundation.

Platinum sponsors included: Liz and Frank Blake; The Coca-Cola Company, First Horizon Bank; The J.B. Fuqua Foundation; Georgia Power; Genuine Parts Company; Rand and Seth Hagen; King and Spalding; Edwina and Tom Johnson; Kelly Loeffler and Jeffery Sprecher; Betsy and Mark West; and Margie and Robert Wynne. 

Gold sponsors included: Angel Oak Capital Advisors; AT&T; Atlanta Fine Homes | Sotheby’s International Realty; Jennifer and Tom Bell; Brown & Brown; Nancy and Doug Bryant; Sherlock’s Wine Merchant; Christmas Creek Charitable Fund; Donna and Chip Davidson; Nan and Ed Easterlin; Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Fulcrum Equity Partners; Duvall and Rex Fuqua; Lorre and George Gaudiosi; Georgia Banking Company; Anne and Berny Gray; Beth and Tommy Holder; Homrich Berg; Beth and Don Inman; JPMorgan Chase; Karen and Brian Keen; Frances and Jim Kerr; Elizabeth Klump and Sally & Ross Singletary; Carla Knobloch; Amy and Nevin Kreisler; Gay and Erskine Love Foundation; Anne & Mike Marino and Katherine & Chip Reed; Lorin and Matthew Middelthon; Denise and Scott Miller; MONTAG Wealth; Patrick O’Shaughnessy; Karen and Richard Parker; Rhonda and Bert Ponder; Sharmila and Sreeni Prabhu; Patty and Doug Reid; Resurgens Technology Partners; Rogers Family Foundation; Andrea and Tim Rollins; The Shaifer Family; Shiplify; Diana and Mark Tipton; WDG Real Estate Partners; and Kim and Mark Westfall.

Silver sponsors included: AlixPartners, LLP; Arrow Exterminators; Kit and David Bowlin; Ginny and Charles Brewer; CBRE; Colliers International; Carol and Charles Doty; Jane and Clay Jackson; Kristen and Eric Kenyon; New South Construction; Papa Johns; and PwC.

The Atlantan served as a media sponsor.