Hallowell, ME: The Maine Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Maine) has just received a $27,000 donation from You Never Walk Alone Inc. This major gift advances NAMI Maine’s mission of providing all Mainers mental health support, education, and advocacy.
On average, one person in the U.S. dies by suicide every 11 minutes. In just one year (2022) Maine alone had 270 lives lost to suicide and approximately 52,000 adults had thoughts of suicide.
Suicide prevention relies on us all; the caring, concern and connection by people in the life of someone who is struggling and losing hope. The suicide prevention program at NAMI Maine works to (1) increase awareness and skills supporting suicide prevention, (2) improve access to helpful resources, (3) save lives by reducing suicidal behavior in Maine.
Sherri Kenton, co-founder of You Never Walk Alone Inc. said it best – “Together we are making a difference in fighting suicide and the stigma behind it!”
Never Walk Alone Inc. continues to be a major partner in helping Maine communities heal. Since 2019, The Never Walk Alone Foundation has raised over $155,000 to advance suicide prevention in Maine through their Annual Andrew M. Casey Memorial Golf Tournament.
This foundation is dedicated to suicide prevention and ensuring ‘no one walks alone.’ Together, NAMI Maine and the Never Walk Alone Foundation are getting more Mainers connected to help and hope.
Jennifer Thompson, Executive Director of NAMI Maine, expressed, “With profound gratitude, we extend a heartfelt thank you to the Kenton family and the Never Walk Alone Foundation again this year, for their extraordinary generosity—a $27,000 gift that echoes far beyond its monetary measure; it embodies an unwavering beacon of hope.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Kenton family for their instrumental role in our mission to advance suicide prevention and unite our community in dismantling the stigma surrounding mental illness. Your support has been a driving force in fostering positive change and creating a more compassionate and understanding community for us all.”
NAMI Maine: As the largest grassroots mental health organization delivering advocacy, education, and support in the state, NAMI Maine is dedicated to building better lives for everyone impacted by behavioral health concerns. Incorporated in 1984, The Maine Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness engages with leaders and community partners at all levels to improve the state’s mental health system through collaboration and education. Learn more at namimaine.org For full citations, visit: nami.org/mhpolicystats
You Never Walk Alone Inc: NeverWalkAloneFoundation.com is a non-profit foundation created to help break the stigma of suicide. The foundation’s goals are to bring hope and support to other families and individuals affected by suicide, as well as support survivors who suffer mental illness and depression, so they may never walk alone.
