Live Your Best Life in Palo Alto During National Wellness Month and Beyond

Published in

PaloAltoConnect

6 min readAug 9, 2024

August is National Wellness Month. The City of Palo Alto invites you to prioritize self-care, stress reduction, and healthy habits that help you feel like your best self! To help you do just that, this blog, as well as our newsletters and social media updates, offer valuable resources to celebrate National Wellness Month throughout August and beyond.

Providing wellness activities and sharing community wellness programs advances the City Council Priority: Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging. Social connection plays a vital role in fostering a healthy and thriving community, and we offer many ways to connect together.

Read on to learn about programs to support you — as well as your friends and family — in your quest to live your best lives, from programs and activities for adults and teens to City events, informal meetups, and other resources that help you stay engaged and connected.

According to a 2023 announcement, the United States Surgeon General released a new Surgeon General Advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country, noting “loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives, and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily.”

Connect, get support and help, and more wellness tools supporting community health below.

Teens and Youth

Palo Alto offers many resources and events to empower teens and provide growth opportunities. From academic and skill development support to encouraging mindfulness, community engagement and creative expression.

Mitchell Park Teen Center

High school and middle school teens have a safe, inclusive and welcoming place to gather and socialize, learn, and grow as a person and a leader at the Mitchell Park Teen Center. This drop-in hub offers a wide range of programs, from college prep seminars and resume-building workshops to fun adult-supervised games where they can make friends.

The Center’s Teen Advisory Board (TAB) features a group of up to 20 highly committed high school students who plan and lead events for teens in Palo Alto. Apply by August 25 here.

Palo Alto Art Center

The Palo Alto Art Center provides a refuge where creative teens can express themselves authentically within a supportive community. Their Fine Art Program encourages creativity and collaboration to help build skills and confidence. They can also take classes in a variety of art forms throughout the school year and in summer camps. Teens who apply by August 30 may get selected to take part in the Teen Leadership Program, where they can help create programming that connects teenagers to art and artists.

Palo Alto City Library

For teens who need support and inspiration to grow academically and intellectually, Palo Alto libraries open the doors to a world of knowledge and resources. Check out books, digital resources and study materials, or take part in educational and recreational programs with like-minded students, from tech workshops to reading clubs. They can also volunteer with the library while gaining work experience.

Palo Alto Youth Council

The Palo Alto Youth Council (PAYC), gives high school students the chance to serve as youth ambassadors to the City Council, helping to identify and address the key concerns that teenagers face. Apply by August 25 to be considered for this important team!

Mental Health Resources

The teenage years and early adulthood are a time of great change and stress, and there are many programs to help them get the support they need to thrive.

allcove offers those ages 12–25 to access free or low-cost services for mental health, physical health, substance use and peer, family, education and career support.

Adolescent Counseling Services provide crisis intervention and general counseling, outpatient substance abuse counseling and LGBTQIA+ support and advocacy.

The Gronowski Center at Palo Alto University offers counseling, psychotherapy, and assessment services for all adolescents, adults and families by supervised doctoral-level student therapists on a sliding scale fee basis.

Adults and Seniors

Palo Alto offers wellness activities and programs for adults and seniors from arts and recreation activities to mental health services.

Palo Alto Art Center

Adults looking to reduce stress or express themselves creatively with likeminded community members can find art classes from ceramics to mixed media. Registration for Fall 2024 art classes opens August 22 for residents and August 29 for non-residents.

Parenting & Family Enrichment

Parents can inspire and connect with their kids in a variety of enrichment and sports programs, such as science exploration at the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, interactive developmental programs for toddlers and pre-schoolers, soccer and music. Learn more here.

Sports & Fitness

Adults — as well as kids, teens, and seniors — can take part in a variety of sports and fitness activities to challenge their body and mind including dance, basketball, tai chi, and yoga.

Senior Services

Supporting seniors thrive physically and mentally, find nutrition and support services such as food delivery, health and home care, and all kinds of recreational activities.

Wellness Events

Mental Health First-Aid Training

Part 1: August 10 | 10 a.m. — 2 p.m. | Downtown Library

Part 2: August 27 | 10 a.m. — 2 p.m. | Downtown Library

Learn how to support your friends, families, and neighbors by becoming certified in Mental Health First Aid for free.

Zumba for All Ages with Alicia Gnam

August 11 I 11 a.m. — 12 p.m. I Rinconada Library

Join instructor Alicia Gnam for our monthly Zumba® class! Zumba® fitness is a dance fitness class that mixes low and high intensity moves to Latin and world rhythms.

Twilight Concert Series

Adam Klipple Organ Quintet: August 10 I 6:30 p.m. I Rinconada Park

Blues is a Woman: August 17 I 6:30 p.m. I Rinconada Park

Celebrate community all summer long by attending our popular Twilight Concert Series from June through August at either Rinconada Park or Mitchell Park.

Financial Health and Wellness with Brad Hamada

August 17 I 2:30 p.m. — 4 p.m. I Mitchell Park Library

Join us for a series of financial wellness workshops!

Leisure Noon Origami

August 18 I 12 p.m. — 1 p.m. I Mitchell Park Library

Join us at noon on select Sundays for leisure origami! Each Sunday will bring a different origami project. All skill levels and ages welcome!

College Terrace Tree Walk

August 24 I 10 a.m. — 12 p.m. I College Terrace Library

Join experienced arborist Jeff Newborn on an informative, exploratory walk through the College Terrace neighborhood.

For these events and more, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/calendar

City of Palo Alto’s Be Well Portal & Uplift Local Newsletter

The City’s Be Well web portal provides resources such as mental health programs, crisis hotlines, helplines, wellness and meditation online resources, and family fun and fitness.

With all the pressures and stresses of the modern world, we hope you’re inspired to focus on wellbeing so you can better support loved ones and the community during National Wellness Month and beyond!