Desert Charities News - Oct-Nov-Dec 2024

Page 54 Desert Charities News – www.desertcharities.com • www.dcnnews.com October/November/December 2024 www.cabotsmuseum.org After months of planning, there’s nothing like watching a group of locals come together to support mental health awareness. As board members of NAMI Coachella Valley, we have the privilege of experiencing this every fall at our annual NAMIWalks Coachella Valley fundraiser. This year, our walk will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Palm Desert Civic Center Park. NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the U.S., and its mission is to provide advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. But where do these funds go? Last year, the money we raised at our walk helped send dozens of peers to NAMICamp, purchase educational handouts for resource fairs (which took This year’s walk theme is “ I am NAMIWalks ,” which means our event is so much more than a fundraiser. It’s a celebration of all the people who make NAMI the supportive community that it is. It’s an opportunity to fuel mental health awareness, and let people know they’re not alone. continued on page 58