(ABC 6 News) – May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and advocates in Austin on Saturday participated in a march to raise awareness.

The group of about 30 to 40 people who participated in the march are known as The Bridge, a community mental health drop-in center and advocacy organization.

The march itself was part of the local mental health advisory council’s efforts to be visible and to speak out for people struggling with mental illness.

The Bridge’s mission is to make an impact through connection.

Courtney Ring, manager of The Bridge, said she’s seen a huge impact this year, with younger people dealing with mental illness after Covid.

She went on to say “we’ve really vamped up together as a community to try to give a pillar to people with mental illness and people that want to support it; to be able to have a safe place for people to come to.”

Bruce Nemitz, a member of the Austin Mental Health Advisory Council, stated that “it’s gotten better over the last couple of years with people and celebrities coming out saying they have mental illness.”

The Bridge is a drop-in service, offering a friendly environment for connecting individuals who may be struggling to find the help of structure they need.