Casual for a Cause 2019-2020: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Safety Net associates voted in January and chose National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as our Casual for a Cause partner for this year and next. Each Friday, employees can wear jeans and make a small donation. The company will match each donation dollar-for-dollar. We will also meet with representatives from NAMI to learn how we can support their organization in other ways, like sharing their message and with volunteer opportunities.

Here’s the info that went out to the team for the vote:

1 in 5 Americans live with a mental health condition. We all know a member of our family, circle of friends or Safety Net family member who does. While society has come a long way accepting and de-stigmatizing illness, treatment is still not entirely on parity with other medical conditions. NAMI works to change that through advocacy for better coverage, and provides much-needed education and support to people who are affected. This includes medical practices and clinics who need resources to help their patients.

NAMI has a toll-free and text helpline for anyone in crisis that it operates 24/7. It also offers family support groups and caregiver education. To address PTSD and suicide rates among military veterans, a new program called NAMI Homefront teaches family members of servicemembers how to understand and help with mental health conditions. It’s provided free of charge through donations.

While the number of people with severe mental illness (such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia) is smaller, these are disabilities with a significant impact and people who need more help and support. Better treatment for people with severe mental illness is associated with less substance abuse and lower rates of unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. By supporting wellness for people with serious mental health conditions, you help solve these problems, too.

NAMI was the overwhelming winner when the team voted.  We’re proud to be able to support such an important organization and help the fight against mental illnesses.

The donation will be split between NAMI of Grand Traverse and NAMI Metro (based in Northville).

Looking forward to working with National Alliance for Mental Illness!