Laughter has long been known to be a stress reliever and good for mental well-being. But Aug. 7, it can also help others as three mental health organizations will benefit from the Katrina Comic Relief show featuring comedian Mike Strecker.

Nationally, one in five people suffer from mental illness, said Cheri Carter, executive director of the Mental Health Association of St. Tammany (MHAST) and chairman of the board of St. Tammany Outreach for the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS), two of the organizations benefiting from the fund and laughter raiser. The third group involved is the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Carter said that locally, it is estimated there are three suicide attempts per day in St. Tammany Parish. The three organizations each focus on a different aspect of mental illness and joined together to stage the fundraiser not only for an evening of fun, but to help raise awareness for the need for prevention, intervention and postvention for those affected by mental illness. With mental illness, everyone is affected including the patient’s family and friends.

STOPS focuses on the prevention, intervention and after care of those contemplating suicide. NAMI’s man focus is on the caregiver and education for caregivers and family members. MHAST tries to reach the patient.

Aside from the fundraiser, the three groups also share in grant writing opportunities and other cooperative endeavors.

Carter said the hardest thing to communicate is help is available and can be effective in easing suffering experienced by those suffering from mental illness.

The fundraiser will be Aug. 7 at Benedict’s Plantation from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. and tickets are $50 each with a table of ten available for $450. In addition to Strecker’s performance, which he is donating, there will be a live and silent auction and a balloon pop.

Carter said that instead of thinking outside the box, the audience will be asked to think within the box. Boxes at each table will be filled with surprises (one will contain $100) to be auctioned at each table by a volunteer auctioneer.

For more information and tickets, one can call any of the three sponsoring organizations: MHAST 641-0619; NAMI 626-6538, or STOPS 237-5506.