Richard Rodriguez
Susan Miller and Jessica Miller Essl
M2G Ventures, the Fort Worth-based real estate investment and development firm, raised $590,000 for UT Southwestern’s Center for Depression Research & Clinical Care (CDRC) in Tarrant County during its fifth annual Art of Mind gala at Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall in the Stockyards last month.
The number represents a new record for M2G’s Mental Health Initiative, according to the firm.
“Changing the way we treat mental illness is a lifelong commitment for us,” said Jessica Miller Essl, co-founder of M2G Ventures who with her sister Susan Miller last month were awarded Fort Worth Inc. Entrepreneur of Excellencerecognition. “We didn’t know originally how M2G’s MHI would take shape, but we knew we had to take action. Our grief fueled our work, and now our passion to help others continues to move the initiative forward.”
Essl and Miller launched the M2G Mental Health Initiative (MHI) in 2019 after the loss of a loved one to bipolar disorder.
MHI earned 501(c)(3) status in 2022 with the purpose of changing the way the world diagnoses and treats mental illness. Essl and Miller chose to partner with the UT Southwestern CDRC to bring its services, studies and resources to children and young adults in Tarrant County and across North Texas.
The CDRC at UT Southwestern is nationally renowned for cutting-edge research in unipolar and bipolar depression, among other advances.
In 2023, M2G Ventures announced that it reached a $1 million fundraising milestone for the CDRC, helping to create an operational presence in Fort Worth that reaches residents of Tarrant County with access to novel treatments and research, as well as allows the CDRC to study a broader range of participants in DFW.
M2G, known for integrating immersive art into its development projects, strategically partnered with local, regional, and national artists to commission fine art that was auctioned off during Art of the Mind’s live auction. Included in the auction lineup were works from well-known artists Katie Murray, Knox Kronenberg, Daniel Blagg, Nancy Lamb and Whitney Avra.
Experience-based items included an exclusive culinary experience donated by chef Tim Love, a custom barrel program by Blackland Distillery, and a free-range luxury trophy axis hunt.
Entertainment was provided by live artist Chris Coleman, with music stylings by Fort Worth native Angel White. A private concert by Grammy Award-winning singer Lee Ann Womack closed the evening.
“Art of the Mind was created from an idea that ties together our love of art and our passion to change outcomes for those living with mental illness. This event would not have been possible without our generous donors,” said Katie Wharry, M2G’s director of social impact. “We want to extend a special thank you to MW Law, Simmons Bank, Panther FW Investments and Winstead PC. Through their generosity, we were able to create an evening of discussion, hope and inspiration.”
