Each spring, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson brings some of the biggest names in golf, and millions of dollars in proceeds, to North Texas.

But that money doesn’t stay on the course. It’s quietly helping fund a Dallas nonprofit. 

For more than 50 years, the Momentous Institute has been the tournament’s beneficiary. 

The nonprofit provides mental health care, education, and family resources to support children and communities across Dallas.

“Over the years, the tournament has raised more than $185 million for the Momentous Institute, which directly supports the services we provide to the community,” said Dr. Jessica Gomez with the organization. “We’re really focused on helping the whole child and the whole family system heal from whatever mental health challenges they’re going through.”

This year, those efforts are taking shape in a new citywide campaign tied to Mental Health Awareness Month. Called “Squeeze the Day,” the campaign is meant to encourage North Texans to tap into the power of nature to support their well-being.

Billboards and installations have popped up across the city, from the Dallas Zoo to Klyde Warren Park to the Dallas Arboretum, urging people to pause, get outside, and find simple ways to care for their mental health.

“Having these reminders throughout the zoo that encourage people to take a moment and take in their surroundings, it’s really important,” said Kari Streiber with the Dallas Zoo. “You have to save those natural places and appreciating them is the first step.”

For the Momentous Institute, it’s all part of the mission of reaching people where they are and showing them that caring for their mental health can start with something as small as taking a deep breath outdoors.

So, next time you’re enjoying a walk or a visit to one of Dallas’ green spaces, don’t be surprised if you see a reminder to Squeeze the Day, and know that the CJ Cup Byron Nelson helped make it happen.

Zacharia Washington is a breaking news reporter with The Dallas Morning News. A graduate of Huston-Tillotson University and The University of Texas at Austin, Zacharia lived in Austin for several years before coming back to Dallas, her hometown, in 2024. She previously worked as a local government reporter for Community Impact.