Nami Mercer Nj Inc

WE SERVE AS A LOCAL AFFILIATE OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS IN NJ'S CAPITAL REGION. WE LISTEN, LEAD, EDUCATE, AND ADVOCATE, EMPOWERING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS TO BUILD LIVES OF QUALITY AND RESPECT FREE OF STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION.

THE NAMI MERCER HELPLINE IS STAFFED BY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO FIELDED ROUGHLY 407 INQUIRIES IN 2021, 66% OF WHICH WERE FIRST TIME CALLERS. THEY UTILIZED OUR VOIP PHONE SYSTEM AND PROVIDED A COMPASSIONATE EAR AS WELL AS VALUABLE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO HELP CALLERS BETTER COPE WITH THE CHALLENGES OF MENTAL ILLNESS. AS PART OF NAMI MERCERS EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS, WE OFFERED A ONE 8-SESSION FAMILY-TO-FAMILY COURSE, EMPOWERING FAMILIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MENTAL ILLNESS, ACCESS EFFECTIVE TREATMENT, DEVELOP COPING STRATEGIES, AND BETTER ADVOCATE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES; WE OFFERED 3 FAMILY AND FRIENDS WEBINARS, AN ABRIDGED VERSION OF FAMILY TO FAMILY. ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDED INSPIRATION AND PRACTICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT TO 450+ PARTICIPANTS THROUGH OUR ANNUAL WELLNESS CONFERENCE, HARVEST OF HOPE, HELD VIRTUALLY TWICE WEEKLY DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.TO LEND SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, WE OFFERED NAMI CONNECTION, AN ONLINE WEEKLY RECOVERY SUPPORT GROUP DURING WHICH PARTICIPANTS ENGAGE IN PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION AND ENHANCE THEIR COPING SKILLS. MEMBERS OF OUR JUST FRIENDS SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUP HELD WEEKLY AND LATER BI-WEEKLY CHECK-IN CALLS TO DISCUSS VARIOUS TOPICS LIKE FAVORITE BOOKS AND MOVIES EARLY IN 2021. FIVE IN-PERSON SOCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH SAFETY PROTOCOLS WERE HELD LATER IN THE YEAR WITH TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 339. OUR HEARING VOICES SUPPORT GROUP RE-CONVENED IN-PERSON DURING THE FALL OF 2021 WITH ATTENDANCE OF 13. WE PILOTED AN EATING DISORDER SUPPORT GROUP WHICH WAS HELD VIRTUALLY TWICE MONTHLY FOR A SMALL GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS. TO SUPPORT FAMILIES OF ADULTS LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH INTENSIVE FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES (IFSS) UNDER OAKS INTEGRATED CARE AND HOSTED MORE THAN 95 FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS ONLINE OR IN A HYBRID FORMAT, AVERAGING 14 PARTICIPANTS PER SESSION AND HELPING HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES. WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR IFSS SPECIALISTS TO MEET IN-PERSON WITH INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES AT NO CHARGE. OUR PARENT SUPPORT NETWORK FOR CAREGIVERS OF YOUTH UNDER AGE 24, OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT, HELD 11 MEETINGS, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH WERE ONLINE, WITH TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 71. NAMI MERCER TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE AT VARIOUS COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, RAISING AWARENESS, AND BUILDING A MORE SUPPORTIVE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, WE HOSTED AND PRESENTED AT 18 COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENTS REACHING MORE THAN 1,600 PEOPLE. WE HELD A WELLNESS-FOCUSED SERIES OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, CALLED ONWARD OUTDOORS, TO FACILITATE RE-ENTRY AND RECONNECTION FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC WITH ATTENDANCE OF 40. NAMIWALKS YOUR WAY MERCER COUNTY REMAINED A VIRTUAL EVENT, REGISTERED 400+ TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND PROVED TO BE OUR HIGHEST GROSSING WALK EVER, RAISING CRITICAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. NAMI MERCER HAS A ROBUST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND MANY INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES COME TO US SEEKING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN REBUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE, IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS, AND GAIN EXPERIENCE SOME FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE WORKFORCE AND/OR DECIDE VOLUNTEERISM IS A WAY THEY CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY. DESPITE THE LIMITATIONS POSED BY THE PANDEMIC, VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED MORE THAN 7,000 HOURS OF SERVICE. ADDITIONALLY, WE MENTORED 30 STUDENT INTERNS REPRESENTING 15 DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.