With the hustle and bustle of Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, we look forward to the true holiday spirit of giving back to others and supporting our fellow neighbors. Today, Giving Tuesday, we profile a local organization that helps those with mental illness throughout the Cape & Islands, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Cape Cod & Islands

NAMI is a non-profit membership-based organization that provides educational programming for family members and caregivers of those suffering from some form of the broad spectrum of mental illness, supports those with mental illness and advocates for the mentally ill. Approximately 15,000 people on the Cape & Islands struggle with a diagnosable mental illness, not to mention their loved ones who suffer along with them.

NAMI’s programs and services include family to family educational classes, family member support groups, peer support groups, recovery education classes, speaker events, legislative advocacy, community outreach, member meetings, an e-news bulletin, and more. All of the services are offered free of charge through funds received from membership dues, grants, donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising.

Overall this is an organization near and dear to so many of us at Robert Paul Properties. Many of us have been touched in some way or another by this insidious disease that does not discriminate. Every year Robert Paul sponsors the Siobhan Leigh Kinlin Golf Tournament held in September at the Oyster Harbors Club. This tournament is NAMI’s largest annual fundraiser furnishing necessary resources to operate and expand the important services NAMI provides to the Cape & Islands.

Robert Paul’s co-founder, Robert Kinlin, serves as the Honorary Chair of the tournament and as a NAMI CC&I Director. Robert Paul’s Donna Aucoin, who is also on the Advisory Committee and serving as a NAMI CC&I Director, works tirelessly to bring the event to a successful conclusion.

How to Help

Become a volunteer with NAMI and help support their mission. Your donation is tax deductible for US federal income tax purposes. Become a member of NAMI.

Some of the other great organizations that we are proud to support include the Family Pantry of Cape Cod, TB12 Foundation, CHAF, Barnstable Land Trust and Cotuit Center for the Arts.