COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A Colorado Springs nonprofit focused on mental health education and well-being received a high-profile boost this summer after connecting with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and his mental health initiative, The Busyhead Project.
Bridge to a national stage
The Mindfulness and Positivity Project, a Colorado Springs-based group that works with students and teachers, was invited to participate in Kahan’s August concert at Coors Field in Denver. Organizers said the appearance gave the local nonprofit exposure to thousands of concertgoers and resulted in a financial contribution from The Busyhead Project to help the Colorado Springs organization serve more people across the region.
At the stadium, staff and volunteers from the Mindfulness and Positivity Project staffed an information table and engaged directly with concert attendees. Organizers reported they spoke with more than 3,000 people that night, offering resources and sharing information about mental health support and tools to build resilience.
- Partner: The Busyhead Project (Noah Kahan)
- Local nonprofit: The Mindfulness and Positivity Project (Colorado Springs)
- Event: Noah Kahan concert, Coors Field, Denver
- People reached at event: more than 3,000
- Outcome: donation and expanded visibility for Colorado Springs organization
How the connection formed
The Busyhead Project, named after Kahan’s 2019 debut album, seeks to reduce stigma around mental illness and increase access to care. According to the Colorado Springs nonprofit, The Busyhead Project noticed the Mindfulness and Positivity Project’s work with students and teachers, initiated a conversation and then extended an invitation for the local group to join activities at the concert.
“We had a QR code that we got to build song lists that we would then share, song lists that help you get through the tough times or help you enjoy your precious life more,” co-founder Jeff Kenefsky said of the outreach at the concert.
Co-founder Meg Fredrick described how the invitation unfolded after the organizations connected online. She said The Busyhead Project asked to talk after seeing the Mindfulness and Positivity Project’s work in schools, and the dialogue quickly led to an on-site partnership that weekend in Denver.
Local impact and next steps
For Colorado Springs residents, the collaboration represents a tangible example of how local mental health initiatives can gain wider visibility through partnerships with national organizations and public figures. The Mindfulness and Positivity Project has focused its efforts on students and teachers, and organizers said the additional donation will enable them to expand services and outreach throughout the region.
At the Coors Field concert, the Mindfulness and Positivity Project used interactive tools to engage attendees, including a QR code that invited people to contribute to curated song lists intended to support mental health — a strategy that blended music and wellbeing in a high-energy public setting.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | Noah Kahan concert, Coors Field, Denver |
| Local organization | The Mindfulness and Positivity Project (Colorado Springs) |
| Partner organization | The Busyhead Project (Noah Kahan) |
| People engaged at event | More than 3,000 attendees |
| Result | Donation and expanded capacity for regional services |
Organizers with the Mindfulness and Positivity Project said the night was an opportunity not only to distribute information but also to destigmatize conversations about mental health in a mainstream entertainment setting. The partnership demonstrates a growing trend of artists leveraging their platforms to spotlight mental health causes and direct resources to community-level providers.
Local leaders and residents who follow school-based mental health initiatives said such collaborations can be especially valuable when they bring funding, volunteer interest and new referral pathways to already operating programs. For the Mindfulness and Positivity Project, the immediate benefit was direct contact with thousands of people and a donation earmarked to bolster their regional work.
As Colorado Springs continues to address mental health access in schools and communities, organizers say they will use the added support to broaden programming and reach more students, teachers and families across the Pikes Peak region.
