CHICAGO, June 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, the International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred) was among some of the world's leading companies and organizations attending the large-scale, national Cause Marketing Forum which was held at the JW Marriott Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

"We feel very honored to be in such grand company as attendees with Target, Kohl's, Macy's, Proctor & Gamble, and other world-renowned companies at the large-scale, far-reaching Cause Marketing Forum," said Kathryn Goetzke, Founder of iFred and leading expert and international advisory board member in healthcare and depression. "But even more," Goetzke continued, "we are delightfully overwhelmed to serve as a sponsors and also introduce the first-ever national campaign in history targeting depression, and in this case specifically, destigmatizing general perceptions of the disease. This is a huge step for our movement as we are simultaneously being recognized by leading brands as effectively utilizing cause marketing to make a positive impact. In recent years, iFred has raised over $250,000 to support our global efforts to eradicate the stigma of depression, through sales of Mood-lites at Lowe's Home Improvement stores in the United States. It is because our great successes that we are now able to support the development of international 'Fields of Hope' with nonprofits around the globe literally planting sunflower fields in their respective countries to serve as tangible symbols of our cause. These efforts are all aimed at rebranding how the general public views depression so more people will seek proper treatment before it is too late."

The Cause Marketing Forum is the world's leading resource on building mutually-beneficial business/nonprofit alliances and iFred is front-and-center with some of the biggest names in business.

In line with Goetzke's view about the power of cause marketing, the Founder of the Cause Marketing Forum, David Hessekiel has said he came to the field of "doing well by doing good" after years of volunteering for good causes and a career in journalism, publishing and consumer marketing.

In the months after 9/11, he identified a growing business need: a clearinghouse where corporations and nonprofits would find the building blocks of cause marketing success, like that implemented by Goetzke and iFred.

IFRED is a 501(c)(3) organization whose primary purpose in to reduce and eventually eradicate the stigma associated with depression. Depression is treatable, yet fewer than 25 percent of those experiencing a major depressive episode receive treatment, primarily due to the stigma and negative imagery of depression. By "shining a positive light" on depression, we seek to positively "rebrand" and "reposition" with the sunflower, the color yellow, and the focus on Hope, to secure that someday 100% of depression patients are willing and able to seek the help they need.

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