Congratulations! If your state or local affiliate is considering initiating the process that would bring the NAMIWwalks to your community, you are on the verge of joining a select group of NAMI affiliates that are starting to change the way NAMI serves its communities. Beginning in 2003 with 12 sites, the NAMIWALKS program will grow to 80 cities in 2010!
And we are just beginning. NAMIWalks has an almost endless potential to strengthen and build a larger NAMI community at every level of the organization. Never before has there been an opportunity like this and NAMI affiliates across the country are taking full advantage of it!
We are talking about a walk, right? How can a walk have such a tremendous impact? For too long, family advocates have focused solely on the immediate needs of their family members and the communities that serve and support them. NAMI leaders at every level have fought never-ending battles to ensure access to treatment and community services essential to the recovery of individuals with a serious brain disorder. Everyone acknowledges the broader impact untreated mental illness has on our communities, but the progress of growing NAMI to face this challenge has been slow.
But growing NAMI's capacity to address all the issues and barriers faced by consumer and family advocates is only part of the solution. Becoming a full partner in the community is just as vital to any long-range plans that NAMI may have to vastly improve our opportunities to reach out and help all segments of the population that could benefit from NAMI advocacy, education and support programs. Being a full partner means working shoulder-to-shoulder with the leaders of the business community, and the primary healthcare industry, and the criminal justice community, and primary, secondary and higher education, and - well, everyone in the community that is affected and can have a positive impact on how society deals with mental illness!
NAMIWalks for the Mind of America is the key that can open that door for consumer and family advocates. NAMIWalks is designed to:
- To raise awareness about mental illness
- To increase community education and reach out to new families and individuals living with mental illness
- To support local NAMI affiliates
- To build a larger NAMI community
From the beginnings in 12 sites, NAMIWalks has grown to 45 states in 2009, which means that no matter where you are in the country; there is a NAMIWalks near you and getting nearer. (Go to www.nami.org/namiwalks to find the nearest NAMIWalks.) If you see that you are close to a NAMIWalks site, reach out to the affiliate that is hosting that walk and get involved - organize a team and recruit walkers that can raise money (which can be shared between your affiliate and the walk affiliate) and volunteer to help with the walk in other ways before the day of the walk and on walk day. By getting involved in an existing NAMIWalks, your affiliate's leaders can begin to see what is involved in organizing this event and can begin to appreciate all the advantages and positive outcomes that hosting a NAMIWalks in your own community can offer.
By getting involved with an existing NAMIWalks event, even if from a long distance, you will become acquainted with many of the details and materials that are part of this successful awareness and fundraising event. Taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in this way is a great way to take the first step toward applying to be a 2010 NAMIWalks for the Mind of America affiliate. For more information about NAMIWalks or the application process, contact namiwalks@nami.org. NAMI is walking to fight the stigma of mental illness, educate the public about this issue, reach out to families that need NAMI services and to build a stronger NAMI community. Is it time for your affiliate to start walking too?
Download the files below for more information. Please note that the "State Organization Agreement" and the "Affiliate Organization Agreement" are samples of the type of franchise agreement that you will sign towards the end of 2009 for the 2010 NAMIWalks season.
Related Files
Benchmarks on the Road to Hosting a NAMIWalks (Word Document)
NAMIWalks application process 2010 (PDF File)
2010 NAMIWalks Request for Proposals (PDF File)
State Organization Agreement (Sample) (PDF File)
Affiliate Organization Agreement (Sample) (PDF File)
NAMIWALKS Financial Accountability Standards (PDF File)
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