Compassion, Acceptance, Kindness & Empathy (CAKE)

The Behavioral Success Sub-committee of the Westfield Mental Health Council is focused on developing town-wide initiatives focused on Compassion, Acceptance, Kindness, and Empathy (CAKE) behaviors in order to build a stigma-free community as it relates to mental wellness and behavioral health.

Cornerstone

The cornerstone of the sub-committee is the CAKE initiative and creating awareness and education as it relates to Compassion, Acceptance, Kindness, and Empathy. This includes, but is not limited to, improving communication around CAKE and highlighting the positive outcomes that result from utilizing these behaviors. The sub-committee provides resources to develop initiatives that support the goal of building a stigma-free community.

Logo & Concept

The sub-committee developed the logo and design for both the Mental Health Council and the Behavioral Sub-committee. The sub-committee sent 5 Letters to the Editor of the Westfield Leader introducing the CAKE initiative (PDF) as well as highlighting each component of CAKE (Compassion (PDF), Acceptance (PDF), Kindness (PDF), Empathy (PDF)) to help the community better understand and engage in the initiative. Those articles will be shared with additional media sources in order to continue to showcase the benefit of these behaviors.

Initiatives

To engage a broad spectrum of residents on the initiative, the sub-committee designed 5 coloring pages dedicated to CAKE that visually help residents embrace the behaviors and provide a fun and inclusive activity for all age groups. In addition, the sub-committee launched The CAKE Crumb Trail in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May of 2021, which invited residents and visitors of all ages to participate in a self-guided tour of the downtown area with stops designed to highlight Westfield’s commitment to being a stigma-free and inclusive community. This safe, socially distant, educational activity centered on mental and emotional wellness while promising some fun along the way. A free guide map directed participants to ten locations that embody Westfield's spirit of compassion, acceptance, kindness and empathy -- including the rainbow crosswalks, sensory garden at Mindowaskin Park, and the justice gardens at First United Methodist Church.

Partnership

We look forward to continuing to partner with the Westfield community to embrace a Stigma-Free town where Mental Wellness is front and center and residents feel safe discussing topics of mental illness.