Tis the Season to Support Mental Wellness for All
Holiday Match Grows to $25K
Every Gift Doubled till 2023

Even in the best of times, the holidays can be stressful. When you're already struggling, the idea of 'Joy to the World' can feel lonely. An expectation to feel 'Goodwill to All' can trigger shame, or bring back painful memories. Human lives are like that.

At NAMI, we know it's OK to not be OK, because we've been there ourselves. Whether your holiday spirit is 'Ho Ho Ho' or 'Bah Humbug,' NAMI has your back - with free support groups, informative classes, and a grassroots voice that says No to stigma and Yes to Hope.

Last week, two new Holiday Match Donors raised the challenge fund to $25,000, getting us halfway to our $50,000 campaign goal. Thanks to all of our generous matching fund donors, every tax-deductible dollar you give is doubled through the end of 2022. The challenge? We need to raise at least $10,000 more to maximize this match.

We can't do it without you. Your generous donations allow NAMI programs to be available at no-cost to attendees, while creating positive change in across Illinois. You are supporting:

  • Expanding support services and facilitator training for our 19 local NAMI affiliates.
  • Growing new affiliates in rural Illinois and bringing culturally competent programs like NAMI Sharing Hope / Compartiendo Esperanza to Black and Latine Illinoisans.
  • Ramping up support for Youth & Emerging Adults to bring NAMI Ending the Silence and NAMI on Campus to more Illinois schools and universities/
  • Leveraging peer/community talent to advance equity and build a more diverse workforce through the Architecture for Inclusion initiative.
Your generosity is the fuel that makes NAMI available for thousands of Illinoisans each year. To get involved, you can simply click on the donate button below or mail a check to:

NAMI Illinois
101 N Wacker Drive, 17th Floor, 
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Thank you for your continued support!
Family Affair Matching Challenge
Facebook Edition
Want to do even more to support NAMI Illinois' Holiday Match? Did you know you can start a Facebook Fundraiser on behalf of NAMI Illinois AND every dollar your friends donate will be matched, too? To get involved through Facebook, you can:

  1. Give to NAMI IL directly on Facebook through our holiday campaign. 
  2. Create your own fundraiser for NAMI IL on your Facebook account.

This year’s $25K Family Affair matching challenge is focused on bringing NAMI to every IL family. Our priorities for 2023 include:

  • Expanding efforts to bring NAMI programs into under-served rural areas, communities of color, and any other area of need.
  • Ramping up programs and advocacy to prevent suicide and support mental health of "Generation Z" Illinoisans ages 13 to 30.
  • Building stronger and more equitable systems through our ‘Architecture for Inclusion’ workforce initiative and ‘988/Reimagining Crisis’ public awareness campaign.  

Whether those in your network can give $5 or $500, every bit helps, and we're grateful for those who choose to fundraise for NAMI Illinois.
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It's a Family Affair ....
Share Your NAMI Family Story

NAMI Illinois invites you to share your family story of hope and recovery with others. We'll select some submissions for the NAMI IL blog and social media. Just send a family picture or two, along with a short note describing your own family story to:


Your family's story and experiences matter, and we are grateful to you for sharing with our community. As a thank you, featured contributors will receive a NAMI Illinois coffee cup.
Meet Molly Pim

Speaking of family ... we extend a warm NAMI Illinois welcome to our new Director of Business Development Molly Pim, who joined the team Dec. 1.

With more than a decade in the human service field, Molly has been deeply rooted in organizations that take transformative approaches to healing-centered services and engage in sustained and systematic efforts in families and relationships, communities, and in society at large. Molly joins us from Between Friends, a Chicago-based domestic violence agency. In her role with NAMI IL, Molly will work across the state and with our affiliates to drive growth and elevate the public conversation about mental health in Illinois. Through collaborative fundraising and public awareness strategies, she will support efforts to strengthen NAMI across Illinois.

Molly has already hit the ground running and is ready to meet NAMIans across the state. Email her at molly@namiillinois.org.
Holiday Care

As the holiday season continues, please make sure you're taking care of yourself.


Visit namiillinois.org for resources and support.

If you or a loved one are in crisis, dial or text 988 for immediate assistance.

You are not alone.
988 Saves Lives

As we get ready to usher in a new year, remember that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.

People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.