When Marco Rossi of Roswell was approached by a friend to be a dancer in EDIN’s Celebrity Dance Challenge, he declined. Having suffered an epic fail in his second-grade rendition of Mary Poppins, self-doubt kicked in. But when he experienced firsthand the effects of mental illness on a family member, he wanted to support an organization that promotes mental wellness.
EDIN, formerly branded the Eating Disorders Information Network, now in its 25th year, has expanded its mission to include mental wellness and body positivity in Georgia schools and organizations. EDIN, EDucation and INsight on Eating Disorders, has been the state leader in education and early detection of eating disorders and continues to be a resource for teachers, coaches, professionals and parents.
“Eating disorder cases have significantly increased since COVID hit in 2020, and the mental health of so many are in crisis as we continue to live with the global pandemic,” says EDIN executive director Marci Soran. “Anxiety, depression and eating disorders have increased and the demand for mental health services are at an all time high. We have been diligently working to develop new programs to help address our current issues.”
The Celebrity Dance Challenge is EDIN’s largest event and proceeds go directly into our community to provide educational resources for teachers, coaches, professionals and parents to detect and address mental health and eating disorder issues in children and young adults.
EDIN’s 11th annual Celebrity Dance Challenge takes place on Sunday, May 1. It will be streamed live and bring back celebrity dancers from the past 10 years. A highlight of the broadcast is the virtual dine-along where guests enjoy a delivered meal featuring The Capital Grille, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Benziger wines.
Marco is a realtor with Community & Council Realty Group.
From all of us at Roswell City Lifestyle magazine, break a leg, Marco!
To watch Marco dance his heart out for a great cause, go to MyEdin.org
