February 2017
Rachelle A. Martin
Greetings,
We get two questions at NAMI Franklin County almost more than any others: how can NAMI Franklin County help me and how can I help NAMI Franklin County? 

NAMI Franklin County can help you and your loved ones by connecting you with services and programming that improve the lives of people living with a mental illness.  You can help NAMI Franklin County by helping us meet the increased demand for services. 

Please consider a donation to support out services! Your donation of $1,000.00 allows us to add a Peer-to-Peer support group to support people living with a mental illness; your donation of $500.00 supports an additional cohort of mentors who support caregivers dealing with the ups and downs presented by a loved one's mental illness. 

All the best,  
Rachelle A. Martin, Executive Director 
Board Member Spotlight :
Larry Thursby has been a board member with NAMI Franklin County since 2014.  Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Larry works for Nationwide Insurance - the proud title sponsor of NAMI Franklin County's Health and Wellness Fair since its inception.
 
According to Thursby, "The feeling of helplessness when a loved one is spiraling out of control and does not recognize their need for support can be devastating emotionally, physically, and financially."  Larry first came to NAMI Franklin County as a member of one of our Family-to-Family courses. He adds, "By participating in a Family-to-Family course, I learned valuable, life-long, lessons about how to navigate the sometimes confusing process of treatment and recovery.  I'll be forever thankful to my peers, instructors, and presenters who all took the time to provide needed perspective and encouragement during those difficult times." 
A Message from Family Mentorship Coordinator Karen Cousins
Setting Priorities When Your Loved One Has a Mental Illness
Where are you on this journey? Has your loved one recently been diagnosed with a mental illness? Have you known for a while that something is "not quite right," but didn't exactly know what was wrong? Have you come to grips with the fact that your loved one has an illness? That he or she is not "doing this to you?" Have you been coping with caring for your loved one for years...one, five, twenty or more? Read more. 
Classes and Support Groups
Peer-to-Peer Recovery Program 
A free 10-week, unique, experiential recovery program for people living with mental illness interested in establishing and maintaining their wellness and recovery. 

Family-to-Family Educational Program 
A free, 12-week course designed for families and friends of individuals with mental illness, taught by trained family members. To register, please call (614) 501-6264.  
Visit our website for a list of education and support group sessions.
Participating in NAMIWalks as part of a team can certainly increase your impact (and be a lot of fun, too)!  Whether you've never created a team or are a seasoned veteran, we're making it easy for you to get together with friends, family, or co-workers to team up for the best NAMI Walk yet! 

For the first time, we're offering a 'sweet' incentive program and we'll bring it right to your door! Simply register as a Team Captain at www.namiwalks.org/franklincounty  and contact Walk Manager Hallie Israel to let us know you're interested in a NAMI Team Launch Event.  We'll set you up with all the treats you'll need (appetizers, pizza, even wine...whatever you'd like!) to bring your team together and talk about your goals for this year!  Teams will also be equipped with a 'Steps for Success' checklist, containing fun and easy ways that your team can fund raise for success this year!  This delicious incentive program won't last long so be sure to register and set up  your NAMI Team Launch Event today!
In the news... 
A Gathering of Hope: Out of the Shadows and Into the Church
NAMI Franklin County is launching an initiative to reduce stigma around mental illness and promote a sense of belonging among people dealing with mental illness.

If your place of worship  would like to participate in the Out of the Shadows campaign, please complete the form.
Gladden Lecture Series: March 4 - 6:
Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund, author of Blessed are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence about Mental Illness, Family and Church, will be preaching and teaching March 4 - 6 at First Congregational Church as part of the Gladden Lecture Series.

Click here to download a flier for complete details.  
NAMI Franklin County Community Calendar
Thanks to our partners and all the community organizations that submitted events to our new community calendar!  The calendar is included in our Annual Report and can be accessed by visiting our website.  Have an event you'd like to have included? Please submit your event via email.