This May, in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Alex Panton Foundation is calling on restaurants across the Cayman Islands to take part in a new initiative aimed at fostering connection, reducing stigma and supporting mental wellbeing.
The “Dine for Minds” Initiative invites restaurants to build on the powerful role they already play in the community, creating spaces where people come together, share experiences and connect. While dining is often seen as a simple pleasure, it also serves as an important opportunity for meaningful conversation and a sense of belonging, both of which are essential to mental health.
“Restaurants are at the heart of our community,” said Alex Panton Foundation Executive Director Emily Kelly. “Every day, they create environments where connections happen naturally. Through Dine for Minds, we’re inviting them to take that impact even further, helping to spark conversations around mental health while supporting the work that APF does within the community.”
Throughout the month of May, participating restaurants can support the initiative in a way that best suits their business through different partnership options, donating a portion of funds for diners and allowing information to be shared to their customers about the importance of taking care of our mental health and APF.
The idea for the connection between mental health month and dining was the creation of Bacaro and Nova partners Barney Baco and Federico Destro. In 2025 both establishments donated a portion from all diners during mental health month, but they have been making the connection with their restaurants and mental health for many years!
Speaking about the idea, they said, “"Mental health is something that touches all of us, our teams, our guests and our families. When the opportunity arose in 2019 to do something meaningful during Mental Health Month, it felt like a natural fit for Bàcaro and it started from there. We are in the business of bringing people together around good food and wine, and I believe that connection is one of the most powerful things we can offer. Seeing the response from our guests and the impact it had for APF made it one of the most rewarding projects we have done. Dine for Minds is bigger than any one restaurant, it is about our entire community sitting down together for something that truly matters. We are proud to be part of it."
Funds raised through Dine for Minds will directly support the ongoing work of the Alex Panton Foundation, which is dedicated to improving mental health awareness, education and access to resources in the Cayman Islands.
The initiative not only aims to generate financial support but also to encourage open, stigma-free conversations about mental health within everyday settings.
Restaurants interested in participating are encouraged to join this collective effort to build a more resilient, compassionate and connected community.
For more information on how to get involved, please contact the Alex Panton Foundation at info@alexpantonfoundation.ky.