The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont (NAMI Vermont) is honored to receive a $1,550 grant from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Northeast Kingdom Fund. The grant will help further NAMI Vermont’s work to educate and outreach to the Northeast Kingdom communities about mental health by helping us offer a Mental Illness and Recovery Workshop and two In Our Own Voice presentations over the next year.
“We are grateful to the Vermont Community Foundation for their support in making it possible to bring these educational programs to the Northeast Kingdom,” says Laurie Emerson, Executive Director of NAMI Vermont. “In Vermont, approximately 1 in 5 individuals is affected by mental illness or a mental health condition. Stigma can prevent some from seeking help or talking to friends and families about their challenges. By raising awareness and educating our communities, we can reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illness and help people build better lives. We look forward to sharing our Mental Illness & Recovery Workshop and our In Our Own Voice presentations with the people and communities of Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties this coming year.”
The Mental Illness & Recovery Workshop is a free one-day program led by trained NAMI Vermont volunteers. This program offers an in-depth look at mental illness, the components of recovery, and services and resources available in Vermont. Our In Our Own Voice presentation is a free public education program in which two trained speakers share their compelling personal stories of living with mental health challenges and achieving recovery.
The Northeast Kingdom Fund is a permanent philanthropic resource dedicated to supporting the people and communities of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties. Its grants are decided by a committee of local residents, providing philanthropy for the Kingdom, by the Kingdom.
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NAMI Vermont is a small, grassroots, nonprofit organization made up of family, friends and peers who support, educate and advocate so that all communities, families and individuals affected by mental illness or mental health challenges can build better lives. Our core competency of lived experience is the key to the success of our organization and our volunteers are the backbone. With a dedicated board, over 100 volunteers and four staff members, we provide support groups and educational programming around the state, we advocate at local and state levels to provide a voice for those affected by mental illness, and we raise awareness to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
Visit www.namivt.org and/or call 802-876-7949 to learn more.
The Vermont Community Foundation inspires giving and brings people and resources together to make a difference in Vermont. A family of hundreds of funds and foundations, we provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise that make it easy for the people who care about Vermont to find and fund the causes they love.
The heart of the Community Foundation’s work is closing the opportunity gap—the divide that leaves too many Vermonters struggling to get ahead, no matter how hard they work. We are aligning our time, energy, and discretionary resources on efforts that provide access to early care and learning, pathways to college and career training, support for youth and families, and community and economic vitality. We envision Vermont at its best—where everyone has the opportunity to build a bright, secure future.
Visit vermontcf.org or call 802-388-3355 for more information.
