NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS OF MINNESOTA

Few people know so clearly what they want. Most people can't even think what to hope for when they throw a penny in a fountain. - Barbara Kingsolver

What are your hopes and dreams for the future – for yourself, your family, NAMI and the mental health system? A penny for your thoughts? NAMI invites you to dream and hope and to throw a penny into NAMI’s wishing fountain. With your feedback and financial support, your wish could come true.

In these difficult times at the legislature, it’s tough to hang on to hope. Although the mental health system continues to be under-funded, significant positive changes have been made in the past ten years to our mental health system. These changes happened because we dared to dream and because we had hope for the future.

In 2007 we dared to dream as we developed our five year strategic plan. Our dreams came true. We have accomplished all we set out to do and more in just 5 years - nearly doubling the number of people served statewide. In 2007 we set out to educate and inform individuals with mental illnesses, families and the general public about mental illnesses and reduce stigma; strengthen our affiliates; establish a presence statewide; build on public policy momentum to increase mental health care funding and access to quality mental health services; and to increase funding to support NAMI’s mission while building a strong staff and volunteers.

Each year an increasing number of individuals, families and professionals are turning to NAMI for education and support and to make positive changes in the mental health system.

And now it’s time to look to the future. It’s time to embrace hope and dream. We want to hear from you – throw a penny into NAMI’s wishing fountain and tell us your hopes and dreams for a better mental health system. Throw a few more pennies into NAMI’s fountain and tell us what more NAMI could do to carry out our mission.

We are asking for your “two cents” by filling out our ONLINE SURVEY and by giving a financial contribution in any amount to the fountain of hope to help make those wishes come true. NAMI will use your donation to fund our efforts to make our collective hopes and dreams for a better mental health system come true. NAMI will use your donation to improve and expand our work to carry out our mission.

We appreciate your considering our request and will use your pennies wisely to champion justice, dignity, and respect for all Minnesotans affected by mental illnesses.

Sincerely,

Sue Abderholden, MPH

Executive Director

Bill Bond

Board President

P.S. Regardless of your financial support, we sincerely want your feedback. Please fill out the online survey and help us learn what matters to you.

To fill out the survey - Go to

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R7WVYMF