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Welcome to June! June, the month in which we at NAMI Westchester, and all 707 NAMI organizations, can breathe a little easier and catch up. The designation of May as Mental Health Awareness Month is both a challenge and a blessing, as they say. We appreciate the designation, as it spurs many conversations that would not otherwise take place. We initiated and participated in dozens of panel discussions, interviews, awareness opportunities, wellness events, school and community presentations.

And of course, we hosted the largest community event for mental health in the county, NAMIWalks Westchester! Kudos and thanks to Leslie Waltzer Pollak with Georgie D’Avanzo who worked closely with our 2025 Walk Co-Chairs Sharon Masciovecchio and Stephanie Verdeflor for their leadership! Terry Brennan and Susan Palmer handled many aspects with grace as the supportive team members they are, with support from office volunteer Stephen Mateo. Carleen Ybarra oversaw our exciting addition of a 5K NAMIRun, which was well-received and a great success! Many thanks to the 500 people who attended by speaking, sponsoring, walking, leading a team, volunteering, hosting a fundraiser and more! Please enjoy photos via the link in this newsletter, and please send us more!

We hope you peruse this newsletter and click all the links attached to photos and blue boxes to explore more. Please know: our work is FAR from done! This busy month tells us that we need your help to support, educate and advocate for as many people as we can, because everyone has mental health. Please call or email us at info@namiwestchester.org about volunteer and employment opportunities. Thank you!

~ Marie Considine, MPA, Executive Director

NAMIWalks Westchester Was a Success - But We're Not Done Yet!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for NAMIWalks Westchester! It was a fun-filled day that truly showed how much our community cares about mental health. The support, energy, and sense of connection were incredible.

But it’s not too late to start fundraising—or to keep going! Donations will be accepted until July 10, so there’s still time to make an impact. Every dollar helps us continue our mission to build better lives for those affected by mental health conditions.

Special thanks to our sponsors, participants, community resources, in-kind donors and speakers!

Congratulations to our raffle winners! The Visa gift card went to ticket #443079, and the iPad went to ticket #258251. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Attention all walk fundraisers: an email pertaining to earned incentive items will be sent on June 16.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Yonkers City Hall in Honor of May Mental Health Awareness Month

We are grateful to Mayor Spano with the City of Yonkers, as they annually kick off the month of May with NAMI Westchester, hosting a banner raising, ribbon cutting, City Hall tower lighting in green, and a press conference in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. This public display along with broadcasting on Yonkers TV spreads awareness to residents that support and help are readily available.

Pictured left to right: Deputy Commissioner Joseph Glazer, Westchester County Dept. of Community Mental Health, Yonkers City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy, Member, 1st District Deana Robinson, Mayor Michael Spano, Marie Considine, Member, 3rd District Tasha Diaz, NAMI Westchester Vice President Julie LeClair Neches

Banners Throughout the Community for Mental Health Awareness Month

A big thank you to the following organizations and communities for showing their incredible support for mental health this year:

• Calvary Baptist Church
• City of Mount Vernon
• Croton Harmon High School
• New Rochelle United Methodist Church
• New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Behavioral Health
• Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School
• Town of Bedford
• Town of Eastchester
• Town of Greenburgh
• Town of Lewisboro

• Town of Mount Vernon
• Town of North Salem
• Town of Pound Ridge
• Town of Valhalla
• Town of Yorktown
• Woodlands Middle/High School
• The L.I.V.E. Church in Mt. Vernon
• Village of Croton-on-Hudson
• Village of Bronxville
• Village of Tuckahoe
• Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health

NAMI Westchester in the Community

This May, NAMI Westchester was active in the community, participating in several tabling events throughout the county. These events provided meaningful opportunities to engage with local residents, share information about mental health, and highlight the support and resources we offer. By having open conversations and answering questions, we helped reduce stigma and reminded people that they are not alone in facing mental health challenges.

St. Vincent's Spring Sprint

Left to right: Michael Orth, John Francis, Marie Considine, Dr. Robert Laitman, and Michaele Rizzuto

Westchester Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Wellness Retreat

Hendrick Hudson High School

North Salem Warr;ors Club Mental Health Fair

Mount Vernon Ready4Life Program Vibe Check: Mental Health Youth Fest

Monroe University Mental Health Awareness Month Event

Satellite Walks for NAMIWalks Westchester

Blind Brook Middle/High School and Croton-Harmon High School recently hosted satellite walks at their tracks in honor of NAMIWalks Westchester. Students walked around the track, taking time to check in with themselves and their peers, and participated in the Westchester County Suicide Prevention Coalitions' "Chalk the Walk: Have the Talk" Initiative. They also had fun showing their support with NAMI Westchester's new temporary tattoos, spreading awareness and starting important conversations about mental health. Click here to learn more about this initiative and to see the selected submissions, displayed at NAMIWalks 2025.

Myra Alfreds Roundtable

Each year, the Westchester County Dept. of Community Mental Health and Dept. of Social Services partners with Family Ties of Westchester to host the Myra Alfreds Roundtable, in honor of Myra Alfreds, former head of Westchester Children's Mental Health and one of the co-architects of the county’s system of care. This year's event featured an opening conversation with members of the Westchester County Children's Cabinet, followed by three breakout sessions. Marie Considine participated in one of the breakout sessions/panel discussions: Responsive Family Engagement.

Community Pints



A big thank you to Captain Lawrence Brewery for hosting their Community Night in support of NAMI Westchester! Customers had the chance to make a donation to NAMI Westchester and enjoy happy hour pricing in return for all food and beverages including non-alcholic drinks. We’re so grateful for your generosity and for helping raise awareness for mental health in our community!

Veterans' Panel on Mental Health

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, the Westchester County Suicide Prevention Coalition Veterans Committee sponsored a panel discussion titled “What Works and What Doesn’t.” The event featured a meaningful conversation between veterans with lived experience navigating mental health services and providers who work directly with veteran populations. The discussion focused on effective strategies for engagement and the factors that contribute to successful treatment outcomes.

Carleen Ybarra, a NAMI Westchester board member and dedicated volunteer, participated as a panelist. She brought valuable insight to the discussion through her perspective as a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, where she served as a Command Sergeant Major in a Drill Sergeant Unit.

Westchester Women's Agenda Hosts "The 5 C's of Mental Health" Forum



In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Westchester Women's Agenda Health Working Group, co-chaired by Colleen Brathwaite and Eleanor Larrier, hosted an engaging panel discussion titled "The 5 C's of Mental Health" at the Greenburgh Public Library on May 22. Marie Considine is a member of the volunteer planning team and recruited several of the speakers. The event brought together local leaders and mental health advocates to explore five key elements of well-being: Coping, Compassion, Connection, Community, and Care.

Panelists included:

• Coping: Kacey Morabito Grean, Executive Director, Holy Mountain Retreat Center
• Compassion: Kymberly McNair, MDiv, S.T.M., Senior Director of Social Transformation, My Sisters' Place
• Connection: Kathleen O'Connor, Commissioner, Westchester County Parks
• Community: Katie Pfeifer, Senior Director of Programs, Volunteer New York!
• Care: Dr. Leah Susser, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine

Following the impactful panel discussion moderated by Andrea Ruggiero, Executive Vice President of Community Health, Open Door Family Medical Center, Georgie D’Avanzo, NAMI Westchester Outreach and Development Associate and Ending the Silence program speaker, shared her personal story, tying together the 5 C’s through her lived experience with mental health, highlighting how each plays a vital role in recovery and resilience. Sabina Bera, Psychiatrist, NY Presbyterian, and Marie Considine also spoke at the event.

Powerful Conversation for Mental Health Awareness Month

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, be sure to catch the latest episode of the Business Council of Westchester Podcast Network's "Member Spotlight"! Host Linda Tyler, VP of Membership & Programs, speaks with Marie Considine and Damian Travier, Executive Director of Access Psychology Foundation.

Together, they dive into today’s most pressing mental health issues—discussing access to care, equity, the growing need for a strong mental health workforce, and what each of us can do to build a more supportive, healthier community.

Community Art Session

When: Sunday, June 29, 2025

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Where: ThePod By CocoaCompassion (11 Cedar St, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522)

Join us for a fun and relaxed art session led by art therapist Diane Quinn. No experience or skills are needed. This session is open to everyone, providing a welcoming space to explore your artistic side.

While the session is free, donations are greatly appreciated to help us continue offering these wellness programs. Donations can be made on the registration page or www.namiwestchester.org/donate.

The Pod by CocoaCompassion makes socially responsible chocolate: All chocolate is made by cacao farmers/producers who empower social, economic and environmental growth within their cacao growing countries.

NAMI Westchester Support Groups

Connection Support Group for People Living with a Diagnosis:

In-person sessions

• First Tuesday of the month at the White Plains Library
• Second Thursday of the month at NAMI Westchester Office

Virtual session

• Fourth Thursday of the month

Parents & Caregivers of Adolescents and Young Adults:

In-person session

• Fourth Thursday of the month at Croton Free Library

Virtual sessions

• Second Thursday of the month
• Fourth Wednesday of the month

Family and Friends Support Group:

Virtual sessions

• Third Thursday of the month

If you are interested in joining, please call Susan Palmer, Program Administrative Assistant at (914) 592-5458.

NAMI Westchester Presentation Programs

• Ending the Silence
• In Our Own Voice
• Sharing Hope
• Mental Health Awareness

These presentations are upon request, please call Terry Brennan, Program Coordinator at (914) 592-5458.

NAMI Westchester Educational Programs

• Family-to-Family Class
• Family and Friends Webinar

Registration for the Family-to-Family Fall 2025 class will open in early July.

Need Resources, Support Groups or Education Classes?

Call NAMI Westchester's Helpline at (914) 592-5458.

Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We are here to help!

Need Help Right Now?

Call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Call the Westchester Crisis Prevention & Response Team at (914) 925-5959 or in a crisis, text “NAMI” to 741741 for 24/7, confidential, free crisis counseling.

To speak with a NAMI Helpline specialist, call 800-950-NAMI (6264),

open Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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