Responsibility. Empathy. Prosperity.

The story of MHI began in 2017, following the tragic loss of a loved one to bipolar disorder by M2G co-founders, Susan Miller and Jessica Miller Essl. This heartbreak led to a passion for understanding mental illness diagnosis and treatment, which ultimately illuminated a jarring fact: as a society, we know so, so little – particularly about depression.

The clinical causes of depression remain unknown and those suffering from it are considered part of a single group, despite the nuances and vast differences in their experiences. Laboratory tests to diagnose depression are nonexistent. Treatment paths are arrived at through cycles of trial and error rather than the precise approach expected in virtually all other cases. In response, MHI exists to provide the funding necessary to lift the shroud of mystery off of mental illness and identify strategies to improve resilience, reducing the risk of serious mental illness.

What started as a social impact project blossomed into an impactful 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Over this journey, MHI has raised over $1M to establish and support a clinical site for UT Southwestern’s Center for Depression Research & Clinical Care (CDRC) and the Texas Resilience Against Depression, or T-RAD, program. With this funding under the leadership of Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, CDRC has earned national acclaim for its work researching mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder.

At the same time, T-RAD has established itself as the largest longitudinal study of its kind, collecting genetic, clinical, demographic, behavioral, and biological information from 5,000 individuals either at risk or diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder. The output of this study has led to research into new treatments, including brain and blood tests for depression and suicide, as well as the establishment of networks and programs to address youth depression and suicide.

Just like the research itself, the fundraising and education efforts of MHI have embodied innovation. Art of the Mind is our signature fundraising gala, celebrating the intersection of art and science every fall. Here, we partner with artists from across the country to commission works that will be auctioned for the benefit of the Fort Worth CDRC. More than an auction, it’s an event that invites discussion and provides hope and inspiration as we showcase the CDRC’s groundbreaking research and share stories of minds changed and lives saved. We’re proud to share that in 2023, Art of the Mind raised over $470K.

In the spring, we explore themes that unite art and science against the backdrop of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth at our program entitled Muse at the Modern. This event is about engaging in a thoughtful dialogue between renowned experts in their diverse fields and considering the multitude of interdisciplinary paths that can be taken to achieve harmony between the brain and body.

While ESG, or Environmental, Social, and Governance, has been top-of-mind for businesses across all industries, with a particular emphasis in the CRE space, the core tenets of this paradigm have been foundational for M2G Ventures. Broadly, ESG is intended to empower businesses to make conscientious decisions on behalf of their immediate community and the world at large. As the acronym implies, ESG is very far-reaching and, depending on the size of the organization, can be a catalyst for dramatic change. 

What M2G+ represents is a formalization of our existing and authenticating mindset of conscious business and a perpetual commitment to tangible accountability. Through this program, we commit to the measurement, elevation, and expansion of how we achieve our ESG-aligned outcomes, starting first with our corporate culture. M2G+ invites us to remain vigilant and proactive in our posture of sustainability and inclusion, in all their forms.

The layer of accountability M2G+ brings to our corporate culture is all about measurability. Just like all aspects of business, success is only real if it is measurable. This is as true of financial stability and marketing success as it is of company ethics. With that mindset, an initial goal of M2G+ was the creation of a corporate ESG scorecard. This scorecard was arrived at through thoughtful dialogues and crafted to incorporate the nuances of our organization.

A tailored approach to the M2G+ scorecard was important, as it bolsters our team’s ability to create more efficient and productive ESG strategies. More than that, it also ensures that our elevated commitment to ESG transcends trends and can be truly evergreen, no matter how or where we grow. 

In practice, M2G+ and our ESG goals have been realized through our:

• Hiring approach and diversity of our team
• Benefits and compensation standards
• Employee events and team-building opportunities
• Emphasis on wellness and the Mental Health Initiative
• MWBE certification and statistics
• Awards earned as a Best Place to Work
• Roles and responsibilities documentation
• Mother’s room and parental policies

What’s on the immediate horizon from here is the expansion of M2G+ into a bifurcated effort that includes scorecards for our properties. Just like our corporate culture, ESG principles are already alive and well in the way we bring properties to life, manage them, and support tenants. The same hyper-curated approach to scorecard creation will be undertaken and we look forward to sharing our successes and uncovering the opportunities for improvement that M2G+ unearths for us.