IN THIS EMAIL:

  • Virtual Share and Care Support Group Zoom link - August 12, 2025
  • Upcoming Support Group Changes
  • Upcoming Virtual NAMI Peer-to-Peer Class - Registration Open
  • Upcoming Virtual NAMI Family-to-Family Class - Registration Open
  • NAMI Wichita Volunteer Opportunities
  • Upcoming Event Calendars - August and September 2025

Share and Care Virtual Support Group


Reminder, our 2nd Tuesday Virtual Share and Care Support Group is scheduled for

Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.


This support group is for both individuals living with mental health concerns and for loved ones of those living with mental health concerns.


Zoom Information



NAMI Wichita is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.


Topic: Share and Care Virtual Support Group (2nd Tuesdays)

Time: Aug 12, 2025 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)


Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88269771404?pwd=urqHLUWYKhmGKfHOI5YMtd4BarkmhD.1


Meeting ID: 882 6977 1404

Passcode: 859068


If you need assistance, please contact David Larson 2 hours prior to the support group at d.larson@namiwichita.org or via phone at (316) 461-5755.

UPCOMING CHANGES TO

NAMI WICHITA'S SUPPORT GROUPS


As many of you may know, all of our support groups have been growing! Additionally, many of you and the community at large as requested that NAMI Wichita create additional support groups so there are more options than once or twice a month as well as a non-evening option. Further, our current situation of offering hybrid (both in-person and virtual together) support groups has become untenable. To address each of these needs, we will be making some changes to our support group schedule starting in August 2025.


SHARE AND CARE SUPPORT GROUPS


Starting this month, the Share and Care Support Group that meets on the 4th Tuesday will become an IN-PERSON ONLY support group. They will still meet at the College Hill United Methodist Church at 6:30pm.


We will be ADDING a VIRTUAL ONLY Share and Care Support Group on the 2nd Tuesday starting August 12. This group will meet at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.


We will be sending out a reminder email with the Zoom link just like we do with all of our other recurring monthly meetings. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the virtual Share and Care Support Group every 2nd Tuesday!


CONNECTION RECOVERY AND FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS


Starting in SEPTEMBER 2025, the Connection Recovery Support Group that meets on the 3rd Tuesday will become an IN-PERSON ONLY support group. They will still meet at Breakthrough Club at 7:00pm after "Ask the Doctor Hour"*. Family Support Group will remain in-person only.


We will be ADDING a VIRTUAL ONLY Connection Recovery Support Group and Family Support Group on the 1st Tuesday starting September 2. These groups will meet at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom.


We will be sending out a reminder email with the Zoom link just like we do with all of our other recurring monthly meetings. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the virtual Connection Recovery and Family Support Groups every 1st Tuesday morning!


*(Ask the Doctor Hour will still be a hybrid meeting - in person with a Zoom option).


Please note that you do not have to choose one over another support group with these changes! If you want to attend a support group every week, we would love to have you!!


Last note, as our support groups grow, so does our need for additional support group facilitators! By creating 3 new support groups, we are stretching our current facilitator pool quite thin. Simply volunteering 2-4 hours a month, whether you are a peer or a family member, will help us keep providing the much needed support groups we are currently offering. To start the conversation about what it takes to become a support group facilitator, please respond to this email with your interest.

NAMI Virtual Peer-to-Peer Registration Open!

Class runs Thursdays, August 28 - October 16

Register Here.


NAMI Virtual Family-to-Family

Registration Open!

Class runs Wednesdays, Oct. 1 - Nov. 19

Register here.

NAMI Wichita's Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities


NAMI Wichita runs on volunteers! We have multiple different opportunities available, some short term, some long term. If you don't see anything you are interested in below, please reach out to discuss further.


Tabling event volunteers. What do tabling event volunteers do? They attend a variety of events and help set up, run, and tear down a table containing information about NAMI Wichita and the programs we offer. Sometimes they help us do free activities with the community such as making calming bottles. You do NOT need to be a dues paying member to be a tabling event volunteer. We are looking for tabling volunteers for the upcoming tabling events in August and September:


  • September 28 - 10 am - 4pm - Open Streets ICT - Douglas* (8-10 people, shifts available)


*Highlight denotes extra help will be needed as we will be making Calming Bottles in addition to a Resource table.


Signature Program Leaders. We are looking for signature program leaders! Are you interested in becoming a Family Support Group or Connection Recovery Support Group facilitator? Are you interested in becoming a Family-to-Family program leader? We have upcoming trainings for these in demand volunteer positions! You DO need to be a dues paying member to NAMI Wichita to become a Signature Program leader.


New Pilot Program for Middle School/High School Students. NAMI Wichita has recently received a grant as part of a pilot program called "Creative MindSets" geared toward our middle school and high school aged students. We are looking for a few people interested in assisting us with planning, running, advertising, etc. for the implementation of this program throughout the next 12 months. You DO need to be a dues paying member to NAMI Wichita to participate in leading this program. More details to follow.


Coalition Liaisons. NAMI Wichita has the opportunity to be a part of a variety of local coalitions focused on a variety of topics where mental health plays a role, such as the Sedgwick County Suicide Prevention Coalition, Veteran Service Providers of Sedgwick County, Coalition on Aging, the Health and Wellness Coalition, and many more. Ideally, we would have 2 volunteers for each of the committees. These committees meet usually monthly for 1-2 hours. The volunteers' roles would be to attend these meetings on behalf of NAMI Wichita, promote our upcoming events and programs, and then report back to our Executive Director what happened/was discussed in that month's meeting (2-4 sentences in an email is sufficient) as well as any opportunities where NAMI Wichita could make a difference, provide resources and/or programing. You do NOT need to be a dues paying member of NAMI Wichita to be a liaison, but it is helpful if you are familiar with NAMI Wichita and the services we offer. We can train you and provide you with support in this role.


Committee VolunteersThe Board of Directors has many different committees that do the organizing and planning for events. These committees include event planning, fundraising, and more. Some committees are long term, others are for specific events. You do NOT need to be a dues paying member to be on a committee, but must be willing to attending regularly scheduled meetings and assist with the event(s) planned. We have the following committee openings:


  • Candlelight Service Committee. We are looking for volunteers to help serve on the event committee for the Candlelight Service on October 5. - Our next Zoom meeting is Wednesday, Aug 13 at Noon.
  • Annual Dinner and Award Banquet Committee. December 2. Our next Zoom meeting is Thursday, Aug 14 at Noon.
  • Fundraising Committee. Our next Zoom meeting is Wednesday, Aug 13 at 5 p.m.


If you are interested in helping out, or would like more information on any of these opportunities or the Zoom link for Committee meetings, please contact Tara Gwynn at t.gwynn@namiwichita.org or reply to this email.


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If you have any questions about the contents of this NAMI Wichita weekly update, or would like the digital copy of any of our flyers for upcoming events, please contact:

Tara A. Gwynn (NAMI Wichita Executive Director)

t.gwynn@namiwichita.org

Resource Line: 316.686.1373

http://www.namiwichita.org