News Release
NAMI North Carolina Receives National Award
Released June 28, 2000
The North Carolina chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill received the 2000 “Outstanding State Organization Award” at the national NAMI conference in San Diego, California, June 17, 2000. In presenting the award, national NAMI President Jacqueline Shannon of Texas saluted the North Carolina affiliate for its advocacy on behalf of persons with mental illnesses and their families, and for developing programs which have been shared with other NAMI state organizations around the country.
Accepting on behalf of NAMI North Carolina, State President Eileen Silber of Greensboro extended her thanks to the NAMI North Carolina Board and to the staff at the state office in Raleigh. “We are proud to be recognized for our hard work,” Ms. Silber said. “But we recognize that much remains to be done.”
Founded in 1984, NAMI North Carolina includes about 2,000 North Carolina families and individuals. The organization began with families of persons with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (“manic depression”), who found common interest in learning more about their loved ones’ illnesses, providing one another support, and advocating for an end to discrimination in private insurance and in public services. There are 29 local chapters across North Carolina, state chapters in all 50 states, and a national office in Arlington, Virginia.
The 2000 national award recognized NAMI North Carolina for developing an “Affiliate Tool Kit”*—a step-by-step manual for organizing local NAMI chapters—which has been shared with other state organizations through the national NAMI web site. National Vice President Dr. Fred Frese described the Tool Kit as “an invaluable tool for preparing affiliates for leadership.” The North Carolina chapter has also initiated a program for reaching local churches, which includes the book Creating a Circle of Caring by former State President Shirley Strobel of Durham. The award also recognized NAMI North Carolina’s role in sponsoring the one-person musical Balancing Act,* featuring Greensboro entertainer Wambui Bahati. Ms. Bahati has presented her show in several states, and was among the entertainers featured at the San Diego conference.
*I helped plan and create the “Affiliate Tool Kit” and provided marketing materials for “Balancing Act.”
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