NAMI CARES
Concern, Advocacy, Research, Education, Support
February 2012
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NAMI DKK General Meeting
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Dunleavy-Walsh Meeting Room
Provena Mercy Behavioral Health Building
1325 North Highland Ave
Aurora, IL 50506
Speaker will be followed by a brief annual meeting
to elect officers for the coming year
Coffee and light refreshments will be served 
Nominations for Officers for 2012:
President: Phyllis Graeser
Vice-President: Nina Finch
Secretary: Mary Ihnenfeld
Treasurer: Wally Deuchler
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Heartfelt Thank-you!
NAMI DKK thanks contributors
NAMI DKK wishes to thank all of those attending and contributing to the success of our annual Dinner/Raffle on February 4th.
The Honorable Chief Judge F. Keith Brown received the Jim McNish Advocacy Award and Brenda Schory received the NAMI DKK Media Award. Suzanne Deuchler was given a copy of the Senate Bill which she helped get passed.
 | The Honorable Chief Judge
F. Keith Brown |
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Jim McNish and
Suzanne Deuchler
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Sponsors:Julia & Casey Mulligan with the Wrigley Foundation
KishHealth System Behavioral Health Services Kishwaukee Community Hospital
Elaine & Tom Mulligan
Event Donors:
Kathleen Dust, Cheryl L. Johnson, Tom & Sandi Johnson, Lisbeth & Robert Krogman, Lynn O'Shea, Jan Pittman, Larry & Mary Rakunas, Sarah & Mike Reynolds
Table Sponsors: The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Walter and Suzanne Deuchler Regina Harris Jim & Diana McNish Silent Auction Winners:
Sandy & Mike Funkey
D'vorah Graeser & Sigmund Katz
Michelle McNish
Therese & Mike Reynolds Program Ads:
McNish Corporation
VNA Health Care
Karen Beyer at Ecker Center for Mental Health Linda Chapa LaVia
Provena Mercy Medical Center Behavioral Health Services
Special Thanks to Norma & Bob Cotner and Maureen Green for all of their their help with the evening.
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Coffee in DeKalb this month
~Held the last Saturday of each month ~Location will rotate between local mental health providers ~There will be coffee, lite refreshments and a speaker ~There will be time to socialize ~All are welcome! 
NEXT COFFEE
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Connections Recovery Support Group
For People living with Mental Illnesses such as Depression, Bipolar, OCD, etc.
NAMI Connections Support Group for People with Mental Illnesses is a weekly recovery support group in which people learn from each others' experiences, share coping strategies, and offer each other encouragement and understanding. The support group will begin meeting in March. Please call Denise at 630-405-9336 or NAMI DKK at 630-896-6264 for more information or if you are interested in joining the group. Back to Top
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NAMI BasicsNew Session of NAMI Basics starts  March 11, 2012
The fundamentals of caring for you, your family and your child with mental illness
A FREE six week education course taught by parents/caregivers of children and adolescents with mental illness.
Classes include:
· Introduction - it's not your fault
· The biology of mental illness
· Treatment works
· Problem solving skills
· How to work within systems (school,
juvenile justice, mental health)
· Shared stories
March 11 - April 15, 2012
2:00 p.m - 4:30 p.m.
At Congregational United Church of Christ on Fox Mill in St. Charles
Class day/date is flexible
Registration is required
To register please call Carol: 630-947-4430
or Karen: 630-664-9103 or
NAMI DeKalb, Kane South & Kendall Counties
400 Mercy Lane, Aurora, IL 60506
630-896-6264
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Yorkville starting New Support Group
NAMI DKK starts new support group for families
~For family members/loved ones of someone living with a mental illness ~Meets once a month "Using the support group model is so essential to the success of our family support groups. Without the training, networking, and support of the group members I fear that support groups would become nothing more than "cry" sessions or "gripe" sessions. As a group the collective wisdom covered a lot of possibilities towards the issues." 2nd Tuesday of the Month 7:00 to 8:30 pm Yorkville Congregational Church 409 Center Parkway, Yorkville, IL 60560 If interested call Carrie 630-779-4933
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NAMI-DKK
Family-to-Family
 The NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is a free, 12-week course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses.
The course is taught by trained family members
All instruction and course materials are free to class participants
Over 115,000 family members have graduated from this national program
THE NEXT CLASS BEGINS:
June, 2012
Provena Mercy Medical Center
1325 North Highland Avenue
Aurora, IL 60506
Classes are free
Registration is required
To register call Denise at 630-405-9336
or NAMI DKK office: 630-896-6264
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Coming Events
NAMIDKK Board Meeting -
The next meeting will be March 12, 2012.
February 25, 2012 - NAMI DKK Saturday Coffee 9:30 am to 11:00 am at Ben Gordon Center in DeKalb
March 2012 - NAMI Connections Recovery Support Group begins weekly meetings
March 8, 2012 - NAMI Support Group meets in St. Charles
March 11, 2012 - NAMI Basics begins and continues weekly through April 15 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
March 13, 2012 - NAMI Support Group meets in Yorkville
March 20, 2012 - NAMI Support Group meets in Aurora
March 24, 2012 - NAMI DKK General Meeting
March 31, 2012 - NAMI DKK Saturday Coffee location to be announcedJune 2012 - Family-to-Family Classes begin
Save the Date: October 6, 2012 - NAMI DKK 5 K Run for Mental Health |
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Ending the Silence Presented
Aurora High School students learn about mental illness "Ending The Silence" is a program especially designed for high school audiences and typically presented in the freshman/sophomore health classes during the mental health portion of the curriculum. This interactive program which provides key resource materials for students, seeks to inform them about the basic signs and symptoms of mental illnesses and reduce the stigma through personal stories.
The informational and interactive power point is the first part of the presentation and the personal story is the second. The last few minutes of the class are for evaluation and Q & A.
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Consumers' Corner
Consumer Leadership Council Report
by Rich Salazar The State of Illinois is now hosting meetings open to all consumers in DeKalb every last Wednesday of the month at 2pm. The group, called the Consumer Leadership Council, is run by Eldon Wigget, CRSS, the State of Illinois, Region 2 West Consumer Director, at the Newman Center, 512 Normal Road, DeKalb. For more information contact: Eldon Wigget, CRSS, at phone: 815-987-7933 email: eldon.wigget@illinois.gov Consumer Leadership Council Meeting
Dec 25, 2011 DeKalb, Illinois, Newman Center
Eldon Wigget reported to the Council that Tinley Park State Hospital will be closing. He said the state got into mental health care long ago but now times have changed. "There are no state run heart hospitals," he explained. Currently, the state is restructuring the system. The Illinois Hospital Association held three meetings in Region 2 which includes DeKalb. The question being asked is: "What would the mental health care system look like if state hospitals closed?" The Association is looking for recommendations for a better system. The information from these meetings will be sent back to the state. There will be more restructuring meetings coming. Anyone can give input. Email or write your local representatives. Singer State Hospital HeadlinesLocal area mental health care agencies submitted a plan to privatize Singer. Mental Health System Alternative: The Living Room ModelAs the mental health care system restructuring continues one alternative to state hospitals includes "the Living Room Model." Developed and successfully used in Arizona, this model offers crisis beds as an alternative to going to the ER. Staffed by consumers, doctors and nurses, it offers people in crisis a comfortable, calming environment. The model not only works well, it is much more cost effective than typical behavioral health care.
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February Fast Fact
The latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 36,909 suicide deaths were reported in the U.S. in 2009.
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PIAT Conference
How Children's Mental Health & Mental Illness Affects Home, School & Community
Piecing It All Together (PIAT) strives to bring parents/caregivers of children who have mental health conditions together with school and mental health professionals all under the same roof, hearing the same message of hope for our kids.
~Have you ever attended a conference specifically for children with mental health conditions? ~If you have, were parents, school and mental health professionals all hearing the same message? ~Does having presenters give the most up-to-date information available strike you as important? ~Would you like speakers to come and explain early intervention methods to all three groups? If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then PIAT is a conference you will want to attend! For the first time ever PIAT will be offered in two locations. Each will present different workshops, speakers and topics on children's mental health.
PIAT South - March 9, 2012 at SIU Edwardsville.
PIAT North - April 27, 2012 at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills.
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Call-in Series
From the Illinois Mental Health Collaborative for Access and Choice
The collaborative is providing a 2012 Consumer Education & Support Statewide Call-in Series. Call-ins are an opportunity to learn about a specific topic through a conference call.
The Illinois Mental Health Collaborative for Access and Choice is a partnership between the Division of Mental Health (DMH) and ValueOptions® to improve and advance mental health services. It is also an administrative services organization (ASO) created to help DMH make the best use of limited resources to serve people in need of mental health assistance.
The conference calls are on the 4th Thursday of each month from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. At the specified time anyone with a telephone can dial 888-790-6707 and when asked for a password use the word: RECOVERY. Note: Please dial in no earlier than 9:45am, per audio-conferencing regulations To reduce the cost, please gather and dial-in together. Remember to provide the moderator with your name, the agency you are representing (if applicable), and the number of persons listening in from your location. You will be on hold with music until the host opens the conference call. If you have any questions or require additional assistance, please press "0" from your phone during the audio conference. As a courtesy to others and to improve sound quality, please mute your phone when not speaking. List of topics for 2012
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Navigating Legal Issues for Family Caregivers
Free educational seminar
Tuesday, March 6, 20126:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Covenant Home of Chicago
2720 W. Foster Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625
All are welcome to attend this free educational seminar! Janna Dutton, an elder law attorney with Dutton & Casey, P.C., will answer the fundamental legal questions common to all family caregivers.
What are the duties and authorities under a Power of Attorney for Property, Power of Attorney for Healthcare, Living Trust or Living Will?
How does the law allow for a person to manage an incapacitated person's finances and healthcare?
How can loved ones make financial, personal and medical decisions under the law?
How is it possible to avoid legal pitfalls as a caregiver?
What legal options are available in planning and paying for long term care?
How can caregivers utilize Medicare, Medicaid, long term care insurance and personal care contracts to maximize an incapacitated person's quality of life?
Refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP :
773-596-2296
KHutson@cmsschicago.org Back to Top |
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Readers' Corner
Book by Barrington NAMI Member
NAMI Barrington Area board member, Toni Hoy has written a book about the state of Illinois forcing families to trade custody rights for mental health treatment. Purchase your copy now or plan to attend an Author Speaker Meeting with the Hoy family along with their juvenile court attorney and federal court attorney in May (date and location to be announced). The book will be launched in bookstores in May, 2012, which is also Mental Health Month and is now available for pre-orders on Amazon.com. Back to Top |
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Schizophrenia research
A route to the brain via nose
 A common obstacle for researchers of psychiatric disorders is obtaining live brain tissue to use in their research, but new advances in cellular neuroscience can utilize stem cells found in the nose to research some mechanisms of psychiatric illnesses, including schizophrenia.
"The current findings are particularly interesting," noted Biological Psychiatry editor, John Krystal, MD, "because when we look closely at the clues to the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, we find new and often unexpected mechanisms implicated."
Read the whole article from Mental Health News
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NAMIDKK
Vision Statement
VISION: NAMI-DKK is dedicated to the eradication of the stigma of mental illness by improving the quality of life of all those striving for mental health wellness.
NAMIDKK
Mission Statement
MISSION: The mission of NAMI-DKK is to provide support education and advocacy for persons, family members and communities dealing with mental health issues
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Forward This Newsletter
PLEASE PASS THIS ON
If you know someone that might benefit from getting this newsletter you can use the link below to forward this newsletter to them. If they enjoy it and want to get it all the time they can subscribe, but only if they want to. They will not be automatically put on our mailing list.
The newsletter is a great way to keep up with what is going on with NAMIDKK, find resources, and learn about ways you can help.
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Support Groups
NAMI DKK Support Groups are sponsored by Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership
NAMI-DKK FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS
(No charge, no reservations needed)
These support groups provide relevant information, valuable insight, and the opportunity to engage in support networks. The groups are led by family members that have been trained in classes provided by NAMI Illinois. Family members are invited to join more than one group to provide more frequent support.
Aurora:
3rd Tuesday of the month,
from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
The McDermott room, Provena Mercy Hospital (lower level), in Aurora.
630-761-6971 (Buzz Hays)
St. Charles:
1st Thursday of the month at 7 p.m.
The Congregational United Church of Christ, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd. St. Charles, IL. (To get there, go west on Route 64 to Fox Mill Blvd. and turn left. The church is south of Fox Mill on the left. The entrance is on the south corner from the parking lot.) 630-584-7481 (Lynette Niequist) Yorkville:
2nd Tuesday of the Month
7:00 to 8:30 pm
Yorkville Congregational Church
409 Center Parkway,
Yorkville, IL 60560
630-779-4933 (Carrie)
2nd Tuesday 6:30-8:00 p.m.
St, Joseph Hospital
(St. Mary's Room lower level)
Call Laurie 847-695-7957
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OTHER AREA SUPPORT GROUPS
KENDALL COUNTY SUPPORT GROUPS:
The Kendall County Health Department provides the following support groups lead by mental health professionals. For further information please contact the KCHD Admissions Coordinator, Rhonda at (630) 553-9100 X8053
· Life Strengths: Peer Support for those dealing with chronic mental illness.
· Understanding your Diagnosis: Family support and for those individual(s) working towards mental health recovery.
. Dual Diagnosis Group: Treatment for those individuals addressing both substance abuse and mental health issues.
DEPRESSION & BIPOLAR SUPPORT ALLIANCE:
DeKalb(NIU): Meets Monthly the last Saturday at 12 noon in Immanuel Lutheran Church on Russell Rd.
Follow signs. Easy parking
Contact person: Charles Smith Phone: (815) 398-9628 Fax: (815) 398-5995 Email: mrsippy1d@comcast.netWebsite: www.grouphope.org
Fox Valley: Meets 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at:
Behavioral Health Services Bldg.
Campus of Central DuPage Hosp.
27 W 350 Highlake Rd.
Winfield Rd., Winfield, IL.
Contact person: Judy Kramer, Pres.
Phone: 630-466-4851
Email: Judykramer@MCHSI.com
Website: www.DBSAFoxvalley.org
CARES Support Group - led by and for individuals working towards recovery
Monday mornings 11:00 - 12:00 p.m.
Ecker Center, Elgin - 2nd Floor
for information: NAMI - 847-426-4594
NAMI DUPAGE COUNTY SUPPORT GROUPS:
NAMI DuPage has several support groups that are open to anyone no matter where you live. There is no charge for these groups. To find out more about these groups and where they meet you can go to: http://www.namidupage.org/support/support-groups
NAMI BARRINGTON SUPPORT GROUPS: NAMI Barrington has two family support groups that are open to anyone no matter where you live. There is no charge for these groups. To find out more about these groups and where they meet you can click on this link. |
Consumers' Corner
Calling all consumers!
We would love to have contributions for our newsletter from Consumers who would like to share personal stories, poetry, ideas that have helped you make it through the rough times, or any creative work. If you would like to contribute visual art please contact Nina for details on how to do that.How do you feel about the word "Consumer"? That is the word used by NAMI to indicate a person with a mental illness. Does that word work for you? Do you have an idea for another word that might indicate who you are, yet do it in a positive way? Let us know what you think. Please send your ideas to Nina and she will pass that information on to our Board for consideration. Back to Top |
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Resources
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Lazarus House offers housing
Housing Resource for Kane County
If you know someone in mid Kane County who needs a place to stay, encourage them to call Lazarus House at 630-587-2144 about shelter services.
If it's rent or utility help that they need, have them call 630-587-5872 for a confidential appointment to see if they qualify for assistance. Lazarus House grants help low-income persons in Kane County who struggle to make ends meet. Pass out our number. We are here to help!
Lazarus House
214 Walnut Street, St. Charles, Illinois 60174
Main number (shelter) 630-587-2144
Outreach (rental assistance) 630-587-5872
Email: Info@LazarusHouseOnline.com
Web Site: lazarushouseonline.com
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Volunteer Opportunities
Do you want to help?
NAMIDKK would love to be doing more but there is just not enough time in our days to do everything we think of. If you have an hour or more to help us out we would be glad to hear from you. For some things you do not even need to come into our office to help. If you can help us returning phone calls we will provide training and resource materials. If this is something you would like to do, please contact: Elaine at 630-377-1563 or epmulligan1@gmail.com.Your help as volunteers would increase our ability to help improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness and their families. We need: a grant writer, a publicity coordinator, speakers bureau volunteers, help line call takers, dinner/raffle help, more people for our educations programs, someone to join NAMI National's Stigma Buster Alert program, people to help update resource information, as well as newsletter submissions.
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Membership BECOME A MEMBER OF NAMI DEKALB, KANE SOUTH & KENDALL COUNTIES
NAMI DKK is a nonprofit organization affiliated with NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Membership includes: Membership in Illinois and National NAMI
NAMI National's publication Advocate (quarterly)
NAMI Illinois' publication Stateline (quarterly)
NAMI DKK CARES email Newsletter (monthly) New members receive a welcome packet and our NAMI-DKK Handbook (when available). Please complete the information below and mail your check or money order to NAMI-DKK 400 Mercy Lane, Aurora, Illinois 60506 Name:___________________________ Address:_________________________ City:_____________Zip:_____________ Telephone (s):_____________________ Email (s): ________________________ Individual: $30/year _______ Advocate: $100/year _______ Lifetime: $500 _______ Written Newsletter Only _______ ($10 suggested donation) Open Door $3/year _______ (Those with limited means/fixed incomes are invited to join at this reduced rate) Donation Only $ _______ Total Enclosed: $ _____________ Note: Membership and donations are tax deductible. Back to Top
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About Us
NAMIDKK can be reached by
phone: 630-896-6264
fax: 630-896-6365
email: info@namidkk.org
mail: 400 Mercy Lane
Aurora, IL 60506
website: namidkk.org
NAMIDKK is an affiliate of a national network of NAMI groups all over the world. The national website
has many resources for both consumers and families, educational
information about mental illness and treatments, and the latest news
concerning our issues. NAMI Illinois is the state organization
that can direct you to local events and groups as well as keeping us
updated about what is happening in our state. The state website also has resources and links to other organizations.
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NAMIDKK Board of Directors
Phyllis Graeser - President Nina Finch - Vice President Walter Deuchler - Treasurer Mary Ihnenfeld - Secretary Suzanne Deuchler Denise Edwards Darlene Marcusson Jim McNish Jack Hazel (Leave of absence) Advisory Board
Regina Harris Elaine Mulligan Buzz Hays Legal Advisor: Alschuler, Simantz & Hem, LLC - Jan OPittman, Legal Assistant Accountant: Borhart, Spellmeyer & Co. Back to Top
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Educational Programs
Helping schools reach out to children with mental illness
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PARENTS AND TEACHERS AS ALLIES:
Parents and Teachers as allies was created to help families and school professionals identify the key warning signs of early-onset mental illnesses in children and adolescents in our schools. The program is intended to provide an educational tool for advancing mutual understanding and communication between families and school professionals. This program is designed for two-hour teacher in-services, parent PTA sponsored evenings, and mental health professional classes.
RED FLAGS:
Red Flags is a depression awareness program for middle school students. It is generally taught in health classes and takes 3-5 class periods. The teacher can choose between 2 DVD's: "Claire's Story," or "Thick'n Thin," a more recent story of teenage depression. Two additional DVD's go with the program, as well as suggested class activites, information on mental illness and discussion topics.
ENDING THE SILENCE:
Ending the Silence is a high school health class presentation, typically presented during the mental health portion of the curriculum. This interactive program teaches the basic signs and symptoms of mental illnesses in teenagers, presents personal stories to reduce stigma, and provides many resource materials for students.
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Ways to donate to NAMI-DKK:
 By phone: Call 630-896-6264 By mail: Click here to fill out a form that you can print out and mail to our office. At your workplace: An easy way to double - even triple - the value of your contribution to NAMI-DKK! Thousands of companies (of all sizes, in all industries) have Matching Gift programs that "match" their employees' contributions (often Board members and spouses too) to their favorite charities. To learn more about how to match your donation to NAMI-DKK click here. Planned Giving: You can plan the giving from your estate with the help of an attorney using a number of legal mechanisms, such as a charitable remainder trust, that may enable you to maintain your estate, provide for yourself and your family, and leave a lasting legacy. Sponsorship of Events or NAMI-DKK Programs: Opportunities to donate to NAMI-DKK include sponsoring events such as our Dinner/raffle and our annual Run/Walk. You can designate funds for specific programs. NAMI-DKK programs include Family to Family classes, Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement, adult and student based educational programs, family support groups, a monthly newsletter, printed informational materials and a help call line staffed by volunteers.
To find out more about these and other programs contact NAMI-DKK office at 630-896-6264. Buy Raffle Tickets: Call our office for more information about buying raffle tickets for our annual Dinner/Raffle. They are usually available in January and the first week of February of each year. Drawing is at our annual dinner. You do not need to be present to win. Memorial and Honorary Giving: Memorial Giving: Your memorial gift to NAMI-DKK is a personal remembrance that honors the life and memory of a friend or loved one, and offers the gift of hope for the future.
Honorary Giving: Holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Mother's or Father's Day, or the arrival of a new baby are special moments that we can help you celebrate. A gift to NAMI is a wonderful way for individuals, organizations, businesses, and groups to honor these special occasions in our lives and pay tribute to a friend or loved one. Based on the information you provide, NAMI-DKK will send a letter to the family of the memorialized or to the honored person, notifying them of your thoughtful gift. NAMI-DKK is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible.
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Employer Matching Donations How do I secure a matching gift for my donation to NAMI-DKK? Contact your Human Resources Department to find out if your company has a Matching Gift Program. If they have a matching gift program, your company likely uses one of two ways to secure your additional matching gift to NAMI-DKK: (Most common) Obtain your company's matching gift form, fill out the "Donor" section, and mail it to NAMI-DKK when you send your donation. NAMI-DKK will complete the "Charity" section of the form, and mail it back to your company. This will confirm that we received your gift and request their matching gift. (Less common) Make your donation to NAMI-DKK through the mail or phone. Upon receipt of your gift, NAMI-DKK will send a letter acknowledging your contribution. Bring this letter to your Matching Gift program coordinator who will distribute your company's matching gift to NAMI-DKK. Why should I give a matching gift to NAMI-DKK? Matching gift programs allow you to allocate your company's charitable dollars to the cause nearest and dearest to you heart, greatly increasing your donation's value to NAMI-DKK. What's more, NAMI-DKK considers your corporation's matching gift as part of your total contribution. Therefore, your $50 gift can become a $100 or $150 gift to NAMI-DKK. So please -- go ahead and make a donation to NAMI-DKK today!
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