It can get lonely at the top—just ask the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Last Wednesday, Jane Castor, Ken Welch and Bruce Rector joined Tampa Bay Thrives to support a new initiative that, according to the City of Tampa, “seeks to combat loneliness, improve community unity, and enhance the overall health and vitality of the region.”
“Tampa Bay Connections” is more than a mental health campaign, according to Tampa Bay Thrives CEO and President Carrie Zeiss, who wrote, “It’s an economic strategy, a disaster preparedness tool, and a community safety initiative—all rooted in human connection.”
The initiative focuses on bringing together stakeholders like the mayors, who can then partner with communities to map resources, launch awareness campaigns about social connection, advocate for funding, and track progress.
Tampa Bay Thrives, a nonprofit Mental Health America also brought in a big guy, locally-based WWE superstar Titus O’Neil, to share that even he has felt lonely and isolated especially as he navigated divorce.
“I felt like the world was against me, and I was a failure,” he added.
