Amy Caruso has come a long way, channeling her passion for volunteer event planning into a premier annual mental health gala, now regarded as one of the city’s must-attend events.

Her 8th annual gala was held Friday at the Sala San Marco event centre, drawing 540 attendees.

The evening featured a five-course dinner, silent and live auctions, and the chance to win a pair of WestJet airline tickets. All the money raised is helping mental health care and services at CHEO.

Serving as emcee was CTV News at Five anchor Stefan Keyes, who brought the room back to the heart of the event.  “We’ve heard it from the teachers, we’ve heard it from the school boards — and some of you are parents yourselves; we know that our youth are struggling.”

Increased social media and screen time, Keyes added, “is doing a number on our children.”

CTV New at Five anchor Stefan Keyes served as emcee for The Mental Health Gala held at the Sala San Marco event centre in support of the CHEO Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Emily Jamieson, vice president of corporate philanthropy for CHEO Foundation, and Amy Caruso, founder and CEO of The Mental Health Gala, at the Sala San Marco event centre for this year’s gala dinner, held in support of mental health care and services at CHEO. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The Mental Health Gala was originally created as a one-time event by Caruso. The first gala, launched in 2017, had just over 100 people, most of whom were Caruso’s friends and family. She was a one-woman show, reaching out to sponsors, promoting ticket sales and creating the seating chart on her own.

“I have a passion for event planning and I have volunteered for so many other charities and organizations in the city,” the public servant said in an interview. “So, I put those two loves and passions together and created The Mental Health Gala.”

Caruso explained that she launched the event at a time when she was dealing with her own mental health struggles. “It was kind of a coping mechanism for me.”

Despite originally being intended as a one-off, the inaugural gala was more successful than Caruso had anticipated.

“I’d just wanted to raise a few bucks for a charity that was near and dear to my heart,” Caruso said. “And then at the end of the night, people were like, ‘Next year, I’m going to buy a table, I’m going to buy two tables, I’m going to bring my friends and family,’ and it was, like, ‘I guess I’m doing it next year’,” she said with a smile.

“This is kind of my side baby; its doesn’t feel like work,” she said, despite pulling many late nights to make it all happen.

Once Caruso decided to make her gala an annual  thing, she started diving into the ins and outs of what it really takes to pull off a successful fundraiser. She also did further research into mental health, as well as the different charities that provide support in this area. As well, she quickly learned that the support of the business community was key. She began securing sponsorship.

This year’s diamond sponsor, LDC Precision Concrete, has been with her since the start. “It’s a very good cause,” owner Rocco Crea told CiTC at the gala. “I feel like everybody at some point in their life has dealt with [mental health issues].”

To date, Caruso has raised $240,000 — not including funds raised Friday night.

Attendees included CHEO Foundation past board chair Ainsley Malhotra and fellow volunteer board member Angela Singhal, executive  vice president of Richcraft Homes. Business supporters also included Intega IT president and CEO John Robinson, who hosted such friends as Nik Lemieux (Mirabel Management) and Joanne Kudakiewicz (Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network), both of whom are on the planning committee for CHEO Foundation’s signature fall gala. Luigi Aiello, sales representative with Royal LePage Team Realty, was also a sponsor, as was Danny Fernandes, owner of Daniel Fernandes Law Office.

Rocco Crea, owner of LDC Precision Concrete, and his wife, Silvana, at the Sala San Marco event centre for The Mental Health Gala. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, John Robinson, president and CEO of Intega IT, hosted a table that included Joanne Kudakiewicz, restaurateur Tony Garcia, Nik Lemieux, CEO of Mirabel Management, and La Bottega Nicastro co-owner Pat Nicastro. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Live auctioneer Ryan Watson from Raising the Bid with attendee Arlie Koyman at the 2025 Mental Health Gala held in support of the CHEO Foundation at Sala San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Emily Jamieson from CHEO Foundation, with the foundation’s past volunteer board chair, Ainsley Malhotra, attendee Bibbi Alfredsson, and CHEO Foundation board member Angela Singhal, executive vice president at Richcraft Homes, at the 2025 Mental Health Gala held in support of the CHEO Foundation at Sala San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Sarah Grand, salesperson with Engel & Völkers, and Amanda Nicolini at The Mental Health Gala held in support of CHEO Foundation at Sala San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Enzo Caruso with his wife, Lina Caruso (Star Motors of Ottawa) and his niece, Mental Health Gala organizer Amy Caruso, Lynn Laberge and Yves Laberge, general manager and vice president of Star Motors of Ottawa, at the San San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ray Charon, vice president of finance, development and construction at Brigil, with his wife, Joanne, and Emily Jamieson, vice president of corporate philanthropy for the CHEO Foundation, at The Mental Health Gala held Friday, May 30, 2025, at the Sala San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Danny Fernandes, owner of Daniel Fernandes Law Office, and his wife, Sandra Guttmann, at The Mental Health Gala held Friday, May 30, 2025, at the Sala San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

John Bucciarelli, Franka Bucciarelli, Kim Aiello and Luigi Aiello, sales representative with Royal LePage Team Realty , at The Mental Health Gala held Friday, May 30, 2025, at the Sala San Marco event centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

A sold-out crowd of 540 gathered at the Sala San Marco Event Centre on Friday, May 30, 2025, for The Mental Health Gala in support of mental health care and services at CHEO. Photo by Caroline Phillipa

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC and Welch LLP.

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