Billy Penn: Bikes, breathing, and barber shops: 5 new ideas to get Philly’s mental health back on track

Meet the finalists in the Well City Challenge Mind/Body category.

Finding balance and maintaining mental health hasn’t been easy for anyone lately, and Philly’s millennial generation already faced some of the highest rates of anxiety and depression, according to a nationwide study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

The Well City Challenge aims to find new ways to help. After going through more than 100 applications to the social impact incubator, a committee put together by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia selected 15 top candidates in three categories.

Under the Mind/Body category, potential ideas include new running clubs, spreading mental health awareness at barber shops, and publicly acknowledging we all could all use an excuse to stop and breathe for a minute.

Here’s a look at the finalists, who’ll face off at a pitch competition on Thursday, March 4, with a chance to win $10k in funding. Pick up a free ticket and you can help choose the $7.5k People’s Choice winner.