I have been sitting on the short-side of Bethel Grove for 20 years now! Some of my past engagements included directing children’s musicals, and leading BG Youth both as a staff interim coordinator as a volunteer.
NAMI came into my life about 10 years ago when I took one of their classes. I was caring for my husband, Michael, whom many of you knew. I re-entered the workforce about a year after Michael lost his battle to mental illness and it was a miracle that I became the Executive Director of NAMI Finger Lakes (NAMI FLNY) in the fall of 2022.
NAMI is a place where people connect on a heart level through lived experience. It was established in 1985 by parents of children with mental illness and incorporated as a non-profit in 2006. Its work is free and peer-led by volunteers who have family members with mental illness. NAMI FLNY’s goals are to: Provide support for families, relatives, and friends of people diagnosed with mental health conditions; Educate them about serious mental illnesses; and Advocate for families impacted by mental illness.
Local NAMI affiliates like ours receive minimal funding and access to national curricula.
We currently offers the signature NAMI Family to Family (F2F) course for caregivers and several support groups, with two focused on psychosis. We also offer NAMI Basics on Demand for parents, Ending the Silence to reduce stigma among students, NAMI HOMEFRONT for veterans, a new First Responder Peer Support Program, and a warm line for resources and assistance with advocacy.
Those in need of support can contact NAMI FLNY at sandra@namifingerlakes.org or support@namifingerlakes.org. I will be available after BG’s service to talk more.
This Tuesday we are hosting our second annual dessert gala. The theme is formal masquerade, but formal and masquerade are both optional! The gala is our annual celebration event to share our accomplishments and eat amazing desserts together. We will have live, New Orleans-style piano music from Professor Keys, desserts from Dolce Delight, Rashia Bakery and Via’s Cookies, and coffee from Copper Horse Coffee. Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased at givebutter.com/dessertgala. I would love to see you there!