We Can’t Get Enough of Jeni’s Thought-Provoking—and Tasty—Mental Health Awareness Month Collab
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the beloved dessert brand Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is doing some truly incredible work to get us all talking about the topic of mental health.
This month, they've partnered up with the children's mental health foundation On Our Sleeves to break the stigma around the conversation of mental health—and they're doing it with a very special flavor of ice cream.
Sunshine
Jeni's unique new Sunshine ice cream is designed to get people talking and start an important conversation about mental health. But how does an ice cream start this type of discussion, you might ask? By being unexpected in every way.
The look of the ice cream is surprising in itself. It's a dull, cloudy grey color you don't typically see in food—but take a bite, and your tastebuds will be coated in the vibrant essence of sunshine. We tried the flavor ourselves, and it really is like condensed joy, combining bold lemon flavor with refreshing and complex passionfruit, and all backed up by a hint of tart, bright tangerine. The ice cream itself is also decadently creamy and rich, so we couldn't stop eating—and the muted color didn't stop us for a second.
(via Jeni's x Lonely Ghost)
Not only is the flavor an interesting thought experiment, but it also reminds us that we can't judge a book by its cover—especially when it comes to supporting mental health. People can look fine, but be anything but on the inside, and vice versa.
The flavor has been available since April 28 and will be available at Jeni's locations around the country, and online, while supplies last.
(via Jeni's x Lonely Ghost)
Also read about: Jeni's Ice Cream Teamed Up With Dolly Parton and the Results Are a Southern Sensation
Lonely Ghost
This month, Jeni's also teamed up with one of our favorite streetwear brands, Lonely Ghost. The result is a super-cute sweatshirt inspired by the Sunshine flavor—as well as the important mission behind it.
On the front of the grey hoodie is the text, "How's the Weather Inside Your Head" and features all kinds of embroidery and embellishments, from a white scribble of confusion to a vibrant gold sun, a Medusa-like head full of thoughts and a small hand doing an "okay" gesture on the sleeve. There's even the Lonely Ghost logo hidden on the front of the hood.
And the details get even more elaborate on the back of the hoodie, with pops of bold color and striking outlines. It reads "Lonely Ghost x Jeni's Ice Cream" on the back above a pop-art face, with flowers, rainclouds, rainbows, tornados, lightning and sunshine all competing above their head in an array of bright colors. There's also a little raincloud on the back of the sleeve.
(via Jeni's x Lonely Ghost)
The limited-edition piece was available on Lonely Ghost—though the stock sold out pretty much instantly. You can, however, still nab it in kids' sizes, at the time of this writing.
Also read about: I Tried Jeni's Everything Bagel Ice Cream and Here's My Honest Review
Making an Impact
Jeni's is also doing more than just spreading awareness. They also donated $25k to allow On Our Sleeves to distribute Kindness Kits to 30,000 students across the U.S., containing strategies and activities for kids and their teachers to learn and practice mental and emotional wellness collaboratively. Across the country, Jeni's locations will also be allowing customers to make a $1 donation to support On Our Sleeves. Essentially, they're great at doing good—and the fact that we get to indulge in ice cream while supporting them makes their mission even better.
Curious about Lonely Ghost? Click HERE to learn why you'll love every item in their home collection.