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ABOUT US 

Mission Statement and History

NAMI Dallas, Inc. is a grassroots family and consumer self-help organization dedicated to relieving the effects of severe mental illness known as biological brain diseases on individuals, family members, and society through support, education, advocacy, and research.

NAMI Dallas was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in Texas in 1982.  It is
a 501-c-3 tax-deductible charitable organization.  NAMI Dallas is an affiliate of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), a national grassroots organization founded in 1979 by a group of parents in Wisconsin.  NAMI Dallas is also an affiliate of NAMI Texas.

Summary of Programs and Services

NAMI Dallas provides a number of programs and services to persons in the Dallas metropolitan area, including:

• Support Groups
• Education programs (Family to Family, With Hope in Mind, and Visions for Tomorrow)
• Information and referral
• Multi-cultural outreach
• Interfaith program
• Community presentations and representation at health fairs and other community events
• Advocacy

Volunteers

NAMI Dallas relies on volunteers to provide critical leadership and capacity to accomplish its mission.  Volunteers include consumers, family members and other caregivers, mental health professionals, and individuals in the business, educational, and civic community who care about mental illness and want to make a difference.  Volunteers provide important assistance in many ways -- as teachers, support group facilitators, board members, information and referral specialists, special event coordinators, media liaisons, office assistants, newsletter mailers and more.   For more information on volunteering at NAMI Dallas, please call the NAMI Dallas office at 214.341.7133. 

Board of Directors and Staff

NAMI Dallas is governed by an independent Board of Directors.  The 2010-2011 Board members are:

Sherry Cusumano (President)
Tomas Ojeda (Vice-President)
Lana Presley (Secretary)
Herb Cotner (Treasurer)

At large members:

Teena Adler, Hazel Byers, John Dornheim, Deborah Goodall, Subroto Ghose, Sandy Gregory, Mary Frances Hansen, Allison Silensky, and Paul Sloane.

Staff Members:

Ashley Zugelter is the Executive Director of NAMI Dallas. Marsha Rodgers is the Program Director.  Both of these staff members can be reached at the NAMI office at 214.341.7133. The general email address for NAMI Dallas is namidallas@namidallas.org.

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