IN CELEBRATION of Mental Health Awareness Month, advocacy group I am MAD (Making A Difference) Volunteers Inc. reminds everyone that the heart of mental wellness lies in community.
For 15 years, I am MAD has built not just outreach programs but shared lives, embodying the concept of kapwa (shared identity). Volunteers have long embraced service as a shared journey: traveling with purpose, connecting with communities across the country, and finding home in each other’s stories.
This year, the group turned inward to ask a rarely discussed question: Who takes care of the volunteers when they are the fuel of volunteerism?
Caring for the carers
Recently held at Tiong Bahru Makati, the Wellness Day for volunteers was created as an answer—a day of rest, reflection, and shared renewal. Through collective care, I am MAD reminds everyone that mental health is not a solitary pursuit but isang paghinga nang sabay (a shared breath). Grounded in the truth that loving others begins with learning to love and care for oneself, the initiative encourages volunteers to find balance between compassion for others and compassion for their own well-being. .
“You cannot give from an empty cup,” co-founder Christian Marx Rivero tells the group. “Piliin ang sarili bago ang lahat.”
Co-founder Maco Ravanzo adds, “As long as you are here, I am MAD will continue to live on. This organization breathes through you, the volunteers who are the very lifeblood of what we do.”
Rooted in Filipino Psychology and inspired by God’s love, I am MAD nurtures relational fitness, believing that we heal best when we walk together, not alone.
Nurturing the spirit in service
Part of this year’s celebration is a focus on spiritual wellness, a reminder that true service is not just an act of doing but a way of being in the presence of God.
While remaining non-sectarian, I am MAD affirms that faith in God is a vital source of guidance and purpose. The organization supports volunteers in deepening their spiritual lives, understanding that true kindness and compassion are rooted in a heart connected to Him.
I am MAD officially launched MAD BFF (Making A Difference Bible Fellowship Fortnighters), a fortnightly faith and fellowship gathering for volunteers, their families, and friends. Led by core members Wino Dela Cruz, Ruth Dağlı, and other senior volunteers, the group provides a safe space for prayer, reflection, and spiritual grounding.
During the special session, Dela Cruz highlighted MAD BFF’s life verse, John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He shared that this verse reminds volunteers that Christ is the true source of life, purpose, and service.
For I am MAD volunteers, it is a reminder that service begins with being rooted in God’s Word. As they care for others, they also draw strength and direction from Him.
Building financial and emotional resilience
Recognizing that volunteers often fund their own travel and materials, I am MAD partnered with Metrobank to promote financial wellness among its members and the community.
Through the initiative, volunteers are encouraged to save for themselves first, not out of selfishness but out of sustainability. The message is clear: we cannot pour from an empty cup. Giving should come from abundance, not depletion.
This month also marks the launch of the Padayon Journal, a heartfelt writing project that promotes emotional and mental wellness by inviting volunteers and community members to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with themselves.
“Isang taon. Labindalawang kwentong ‘di gaanong naiiba. Mga kwentong nagmula sa hindi mabilang na tinig—lahat nag-iiwan ng iisang tanong: Kamusta ka na?” said in a video produced by Lyman Hansel Gerona, one of the writers behind the project.
Unlike most journals, Padayon doesn’t demand progress; it simply invites presence. Each page becomes a homecoming for anyone who has ever been tired, kind, and human all at once.
To order a copy, visit bit.ly/PadayonJournalOrderForm or share your reflections at bit.ly/MTPadayonWall.
In the end, that’s what keeps I am MAD alive. It is more than an organization; it is a community that teaches people to rest bravely, give without losing themselves, and keep walking even when tired. Because when volunteers remember to breathe, the world breathes with them.
I am MAD continues its volunteer outreach programs focused on values formation, education, and community-building for children aged 10–12 in underserved areas nationwide. To join or support, visit bit.ly/MADcamp2025reg, donate to BIDA Eskwela AmBAGan at bit.ly/bidadonate, follow fb.com/IamMakingADifference, or email iammadph@gmail.com.
