Ledyard — Jordan's Journey Gala, an annual event raising money to prevent suicide, promote mental health and create a message of hope for young adults will take place March 25 at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

The gala, which will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., will feature an awards ceremony, a performance by the Hartford City Ballet and a live and silent auction.

The Perfect Promotion of West Hartford will sponsor the evening's keynote speaker, Kevin Hines. Hines is a brain/mental health advocate, award-winning global speaker, bestselling author and documentary filmmaker.

"By extending the hand of hope — together — we create a greater opportunity to reach more young adults with our message of hope. We all need to start the mental health conversation, and keep it going. Mental health needs a voice: you are that voice. We are that voice," said Marisa Giarnella-Porco and Ernie Porco, who founded the Jordan Porco Foundation in 2011.

The foundation's "Fresh Check Day" is their signature program. They work closely with colleges and universities to plan celebratory fair-like events in an effort to bring awareness to available mental health resources and coping strategies.

Nine out of Ten is an ambassador program that empowers college students to be a hopeful voice for suicide prevention and promote a mental health movement on campus.

More information is available at the Jordan Porco Foundation's website, www.rememberingjordan.org.