2014 Annual ReportFind Help, Find Hope

Letter from the President

Dear NAMI Greater Houston Supporter: I take pride in reporting that 2014 was, by every indication, a record-setting year for NAMI Greater Houston. This is thanks in large part to our organization’s amazing team of dedicated volunteers, committed board members, knowledgeable staff, our generous donors, and you who are exhibiting interest in our mission. In areas involving programming to fundraising to board development, 2014 saw NAMI Greater Houston take the next strategic steps in ensuring our organization remains Texas’ leader in providing free education classes, support group offerings, community outreach programs and advocacy initiatives for those impacted by the broad spectrum of mental illnesses and brain disorders.

Board DevelopmentOur 15-member Board of Directors is made up of some of our finest community leaders whose dedication to NAMI’s mission is both sincere and unwavering.  Many of our Board Members not only give of their time in safeguarding our mission, but also carry out the core functions of NAMI Greater Houston by volunteering as support group facilitators or classroom instructors. In 2014, NAMI Greater Houston formed its first Advisory Board to help guide our organization in areas involving membership growth, program development, fundraising, and advocacy initiatives. The Advisory Board is made up of some Houston’s most prominent mental health leaders, who like our Board of Directors, fully support NAMI’s mission to improve the lives of ALL persons affected by mental illness. Both boards’ dedication is invaluable and their work is simply irreplaceable to our organization.  Programs and ServicesIn the Program Accomplishments section of this report, you will find a detailed accounting of all the amazing work and services provided by NAMI Greater Houston. Our education programs, support group meetings, and community outreach initiatives have provided hope, recovery, and invaluable information to those who avail themselves of our services. I am very proud to report that our friends at Cypress Creek Hospital were gracious enough to donate a Ford passenger van that we have converted into this area’s first mental health bookmobile, or as we call it, our S(upport)E(ducation)A(dvocacy)Mobile. Beginning in early 2015, you will see the NAMI Greater Houston SEAMobile traveling to various mental health and social service providers. Houstonians will be allow to check out books related to mental health and wellness, receive literature and the SEAMobile will serve as a mobile information and referral center.

Development2014 was a record-breaking year in fundraising for our growing organization. Our ninth annual NAMI Walk raised an unprecedented $286,000! In fact, NAMI Greater Houston was one of the nation’s leading affiliates in raising Walk funds with over 1,000+ walkers who joined us on April 12, 2014. The NAMI Walk continues to be Houston’s largest mental health awareness event; celebrating the recovery of those living with mental illness and remembering those who we have tragically lost. In addition to our successful 2014 Walk campaign, NAMI Greater Houston was able to diversify its revenue stream by securing several area foundation grants for the first time in its history. Specifically, the Rockwell Fund, Houston Endowment, and the United Way of Greater Houston all financially invested in the mission of NAMI Greater Houston. Lastly, NAMI Greater Houston developed fee-for-service contracts that in 2014 allowed our organization to provide NAMI programs to the patients of the Harris County Psychiatric Center, to the entire staff at The Menninger Clinic, and to the faculty at the Harris County Department of Education.

These were just some of our accomplishments in 2014. As we continue to grow, we’ll never lose sight of the fact that NAMI Greater Houston is an organization that dedicates itself every day to the principles of integrity, empathy, and compassion for those impacted by mental illness. We hold these principles true because like many of you, our lives have been impacted by the challenges of living with a mental illness or caring for those who do. We know firsthand the quality of our education classes, the warm embrace of our support groups, and the power of our community outreach initiatives that serve to empower others in leading full, healthy and productive lives.

From our family to yours, thank you for your support of and interest in NAMI Greater Houston.

Dick EasterwoodPresident, Board of Directors

NAMI Greater Houston support, education,

and advocacy activities in 2014 included (clockwise from top left):  

 *2014 Family-to-Family teacher training graduates

*Our recognition of the HPD’s Crisis Intervention Team Officers

*NAMI Greater Houston on Fox 26! *Our NAMI Tent at League City's

"Holiday in the Park"

The mission of NAMI Greater Houston is to improve the lives of all persons affected by mental illness through support, education, and advocacy.

2014 Board of DirectorsDick Easterwood, PresidentAlice Brink, Vice PresidentJean Rainoshek, TreasurerMari Ledergerber, SecretaryLeon AlderferStaci BiggarLinda GreenShelley GreenGrant KennedyDr. Jane MalinJudith MillerSusan MoodyDora PozziDr. Neal SarahanClaire Shynett

2014 Advisory BoardPhilip BlackburnDr. Brian BrookerLinda CarusoLesa ClarkDr. Brenda LaVarDr. Sanjay MathewHonorable Gray MillerDr. Jair SoaresDr. Steven SchneeMary Jane SmithSergeant Frank Webb

In 2014, NAMI Greater Houston received a capacity building grant from the United Way of Greater Houston. The grant monies were used to convert a 15-passenger van into Houston’s first ever bookmobile dedicated to mental health and wellness!

Starting in 2015, the SEA Center Bookmobile will be traveling to area psychiatric hospitals, community clinics and social service organizations in order to distribute mental health related literature, books, and DVDs. The bookmobile will also serve as a traveling information and referral center that will be providing peer-facilitated information and referral services.

You’ll also find the SEA Center Bookmobile at NAMI related events such as the NAMI Walk and area health fairs.  

Many thanks to our partners, MHMRA of Harris County and Cypress Creek Hospital, for their generous support of the SEA Center and its new bookmobile. And a big thank you to our friends at Zebra Wraps and Corporate Installations for the amazing graphics wrap. 

2014 AccomplishmentsI am pleased to present this report of NAMI Greater Houston’s program achievements in 2014. NAMI Greater Houston (NAMI GH) is currently the largest NAMI affiliate in the state of Texas. At NAMI GH we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with mental illness and their families through support, education, and advocacy. We are committed to providing classes, support groups, referral services and advocacy engagement for all those impacted by the broad spectrum of mental illnesses. Our programs allow those who avail themselves of our services opportunities to connect with one another, engage in the recovery process, and inspire new interventions to positively impact individuals and families living with mental illness.

Here are just some of our program achievements in 2014:

Training OpportunitiesIn September, NAMI GH sponsored two training opportunities. For our flagship family education program, Family-to-Family, 15 new teachers were trained and certified in September and are now teaching Family-to-Family classes in the Greater Houston area.In October, we hosted a SMARTS Advocacy Training with 18 graduates. At the training, NAMI volunteers learned about the various components that make up grassroots advocacy; steps on how to effectively communicate with their elected officials; and how to use their voice and lived experiences to influence policymakers.

Education ProgramsNAMI GH partnered with The Menninger Clinic in a project focused on patient-centered care, Provider Education. We educated the Clinic’s physicians, nurses, and hospital line staff on the family experience as it relates to caring for a loved one living with mental illness. We conducted six Provider Education courses in 2014 for an estimated 250 attendees. In addition to our Provider Education programs, NAMI GH successfully hosted 11 different Family-to-Family classes in both English and in Spanish; in addition, two NAMI Basics classes were conducted. As a

result, we educated nearly 200 family members and caregivers supporting a loved one living with mental illness. In addition, NGH sponsored four Peer-to-Peer recovery classes that went on to support the recovery plans for individuals living directly with a mental illness diagnosis.

In 2014, NAMI GH sponsored over 20 In Our Own Voice presentations delivered by NAMI members living their own recovery plan while providing hope for others. Recovery is not a singular event, but a multi-dimensional, multi-linear journey. Understanding recovery as having several dimensions makes its uneven course easier to accept. Our IOOV presenters shared

with audiences, through their personal journeys, how recovery is the point in someone's illness in which the illness is

2014 Board of DirectorsDick Easterwood, PresidentAlice Brink, Vice PresidentJean Rainoshek, TreasurerMari Ledergerber, SecretaryLeon AlderferStaci BiggarLinda GreenShelley GreenGrant KennedyDr. Jane MalinJudith MillerSusan MoodyDora PozziDr. Neal SarahanClaire Shynett

2014 Advisory BoardPhilip BlackburnDr. Brian BrookerLinda CarusoLesa ClarkDr. Brenda LaVarDr. Sanjay MathewHonorable Gray MillerDr. Jair SoaresDr. Steven SchneeMary Jane SmithSergeant Frank Webb

Thank you to all who participated in the 2014 NAMIWalk. We couldn’t have done it without you, but only with you! Together we raised

$286,000towards providing mental health

awareness, education and advocacy based services in our Greater Houston

community!

Graduates from Family to Family Training

The Menninger Clinic Provider Education Class

no longer the first and foremost part of their life and no longer the essence of their existence. Through this education program, our members inform the general public about what mental illness is, fight against stigma and advocate for a more positive attitude toward mental illness.

Support GroupsUnderstanding the tremendous need for knowledgeable peer support in the recovery of those affected by mental illness, NAMI GH sponsored a number of well-attended and well-received Connection and Family Support Groups throughout the Greater Houston area. In 2014, we added two sustained Family Support Groups; one in English and one in Spanish. We also added one additional Connection Support Group location in 2014.

Outreach ProgramsOver the course of 2014, NAMI GH sponsored a number of outreach programs designed to inform the public on matters related to mental health education, awareness and resources. 2014 NAMI GH outreach programs included the sponsorship of six Parents and Teachers as Allies presentations at area Houston schools; 13 Mental Health 101 presentations for general audiences; and lastly, 12 Sharing Hope/Compartiendo Esperanza mental health presentations for African-American and Latino faith-based communities.

For a detailed description of all NAMI Greater Houston’s programs and services, visit www.namigreaterhouston.org

Leon AlderferPat AlderferAlma AguirreRuth AguirreSergio AguirreAnn AltschulerJennifer Azure-KellerCatherine Blackwell-GarnerJerry BabbitJan Babola JenksDarlene BaumannBeth BeckhamDonna BergoonRuddich BernieDeloris BiagasLesley BlackburnPhilip BlackburnMelissa ChapmanAnu ChatufalePatsy CrumValerie DeLeonDiane DemingSarah DietzmannBetty DimiterchikJohn DixonCarl Dunn

Gary Eagleton

Barbara EdmondsonRandall EvansTommy FrugeMary K FruthMargaret GallagherNick GarciaMeagan GarrettRodney GriffinLana HandDarrell HaskellNaomi HaskellSandy HawekotteFinis HayRenee HendersonMargaret HennesseyTracy Hines-WinstonKaitlyn HowellRebecca IssaCharlotte JacksonCaroline JosephArnette KingDiahn Krall-RomeroGrant Kennedy

Laurie KruseAnn KurtzBrenda LaVarKay Lamberth

Mari LedergerberNick LeowzckoCarol LogginsMichelle LovelaceGlenda LucoJudy MadisonJane MalinBenny MaloneCarmen MartinezYolanda MartinezSpencer McDonaldKanika McKinneyCharlotte McQwounRob McQwounDanny MeekOralia MejiaNiquita MitchellSusan MoodyShelia MuldrowVi Napolitano

Dena NapolitanoHenry PonnieDora PozziStacie (Gigi) PriceSusan RaffleJean RainoshekJeanine Rellinger

Derek RileyLora RosemonMartha SaathoffNeal SarahanCarol ScheierLindsey ShanklinClaire ShynettElizabeth SmallingAmber SmithJennifer StromBrooke Summers-PerryKelly TalbotKurt TalbotAlfonso TejadaDarcy TrahanMary Jane TruemanPam Truxillo

Tommy TulloMarcia TysselingNicole ValdesEileen WalkerVicky WatkinsMary Ann WatermanTom WatermanJan WestDiane WilkersonCecelia WilliamsCalvin Wilson

Strake Foundation $5,000

Buck Family Fund $5,000

Mary Kay and Dick Fruth $5,000

Otsuka $5,000

Atascocita High School $4,960

Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire $3,500

Jeanne and Peter Kinnear $3,000

John Merrill $3,000

Cypress Creek Hospital $2,500

FMC Technologies $2,500

Swift Energy $2,500

Kelly and Kurt Talbot $2,500

Urban Construction Southwest $2,500

West Oaks Hospital $2,500

United Way of Greater Houston $2,500

Optum Health $2,500

Exxon Mobil Foundation $2,000

2014 Financial Information

Source of Funds

Contributions $58,572

Special Event Receipts 278,377

Restricted Funds 20,875

Membership Dues 8,173

Interest Income 291

Total $366,288

Use of Funds

Payments to Affiliates $25,124

Special Event Expenses 32,075

Salaries 199,045

Payroll Taxes & Benefits 17,052

Contract Services 21,582

Travel 4,534

Printing & Publications 13,916

Postage 905

Supplies & Equipment 9,836

Meetings & Trainings 12,705

Dues & Subscriptions 4,759

Insurance 4,529

Rent 1,100

Miscellaneous 77

Total $347,240

Strake Foundation $5,000

Buck Family Fund $5,000

Mary Kay and Dick Fruth $5,000

Otsuka $5,000

Atascocita High School $4,960

Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire $3,500

Jeanne and Peter Kinnear $3,000

John Merrill $3,000

Cypress Creek Hospital $2,500

FMC Technologies $2,500

Swift Energy $2,500

Kelly and Kurt Talbot $2,500

Urban Construction Southwest $2,500

West Oaks Hospital $2,500

United Way of Greater Houston $2,500

Optum Health $2,500

Exxon Mobil Foundation $2,000

NAMI Greater Houston held its volunteer recognition celebration in December to thank our teachers, facilitators, and others who give so generously to the organization.

NAMI Greater Houston in 2014 (clockwise from top left):*NAMI National Convention in Washington, D.C.

*Staff Member Clarence Ewing’s recognition as Consumer of the Year from NAMI Texas!

*Dick Easterwood receives the award for affiliate membership growth at the 2014 NAMI Texas Conference!

*Last spring, NAMI Greater Houston taught its Provider Education course to the entire staff of The Menninger Clinic. *2014 NAMI Walk (our most successful NAMIWalks ever!)*2014 NAMI Walk Kick-Off Luncheon featuring longtime

NAMI supporter, Dr. Brian Brooker and the staff of Cypress Creek Hospital