United in Action Through NAMIWalks Featuring Mary Sorensen

This episode of “Hope Starts With Us” features NAMI’s Director of Field Resource Development Mary Sorensen. Through this conversation, listeners will learn about NAMIWalks, NAMI’s community-driven fundraising event happening nationwide. This discussion will highlight the importance of community mental health events, the power of coming together with our neighbors, how to get involved, and more. 

 Sign up for a NAMIWalks near you today!

Join NAMI's Mental Health Awareness Month campaign by visiting nami.org/MHAM! Submit your story by May for an opportunity to be featured on NAMI's outreach platforms during Mental Health Awareness Month. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

Transcript

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You are bigger and prouder together, and what we can build, moving forward, is unstoppable when a community comes together behind a common cause. Welcome to Hope Starts With Us, a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness. I'm your host, Dan Gillis and NAMI's CEO. NAMI started this podcast because we believe that hope starts with us. Hope starts with us talking about mental health. Hope starts with us making information accessible. Hope starts with us providing resources and practical advice. Hope starts with us sharing our stories. And hope starts with us breaking the stigma. If you or loved one is struggling with the mental health condition and have been looking for hope, we made this podcast for you. Hope starts with all of us. Hope is a collective. We hope that each episode, with each conversation brings you into that collective so you know you are not alone. Our guest today is Mary Sorensen. Mary is the Director of Field Resource Development for NAMI, NAMI'S national leader of NAMIWalks. Peer-to-peer fundraising event stretching across the nation. A movement and celebration of individuals, families, and communities coming together for mental health for all. For anyone that's listening or watching this and you've participated in a NAMIWalk, you know what we mean in terms of a movement and celebration of individuals and families and communities coming together for mental health for all. For those that haven't, please find a NAMIWalk. You will love it. So, Mary, would you as an expert, tell our listeners more about NAMIWalks and there was no way I stole your thunder because these walks are just incredible. Absolutely. I'd be happy to. So NAMIWalks is our signature fundraising program here at NAMI, and it is actually the largest mental health event series in the entire country. So it's really become this national movement, which is so exciting to see. We are now in more than 200 communities across the country, so the growth has just been exceptional. And like you said, it's about people. It's the individuals, the families, it's workplaces, and they're all coming together because mental health touches all of us. And this is a really tangible way to get involved. And it's more than an event. It's people telling their stories and connecting with each other and building a real sense of community. And I think this year's theme, it's "Together We Are NAMIWalks," really captures the essence of what we're trying to build. It's simple, but it reflects what happens when people show up for each other. At the same time, these events are making such a huge impact. Last year alone, we raised over $16.4 million and reached 82,000 participants from coast-to-coast. And because of that growth, our program has become a top 30 event for peer-to-peer fundraising for the seventh year in a row, which was just really exciting, and it just shares the and reflects the passion behind the movement. And Dan, I know that you've been to several NAMIWalks throughout your years with NAMI and there's just nothing like Walk Day. Like you said, there's the energy and the sense of community and it's just such a powerful thing to be a part of. Yeah, the association, assimilation, and the care. You know, we've always said people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Every walk I've participated in, it is so caring. And you don't meet a stranger. Everybody is connected in some way. And the energy at the walks is just so incredible. It is profound. It's engaging. It's really very cool. Mary, what led you to working with NAMIWalks? Yeah. So I've actually spent my entire career in nonprofit development, primarily in walk programs. So in a lot of ways, this is the space where I really grew up professionally. It honestly goes back even further than that. I got my start as the philanthropy chair in my college sorority, and I won't say how long ago that was, but it's a path that found me pretty early on. And as I was preparing for my NAMI interview, you know, you start reflecting on your path and you know why you're looking to join an organization. And I realized in that reflection that NAMI was actually the first nonprofit that I was ever exposed to as a child. My aunt, my mom's identical twin sister, lives with bipolar, and she's been involved with her NAMI in Maryland for as long as I can remember. She led support groups and was a huge advocate in her community. And because of that, conversations around mental health were just really open in my family. I was so lucky to grow up in that environment and that felt so safe, and my parents supported what we would now call mental health days way before people were talking about that or experiencing things like that. And so when the pandemic hit, I think we all got to reflecting about our lives and our purpose, and it really shifted things for me. It made it really clear how critical mental health support is and how important it was going to be moving forward. And I'll be really honest, I had my eye on NAMI. I knew this is exactly where I wanted to be next and it was a very targeted approach. So when the opportunity came, it felt like the perfect combination of professional growth as well as a passion for something really personal to me. So I just, I jumped at the opportunity, and I've loved every minute of being a part of this program and how it continues to evolve. Well, what you've grown it to, you and your team, is absolutely fantastic, and we're so glad that you brought your talent to this work, your experience to this work, and congratulations to you and thank you as well. And would you share some stories you've heard from NAMIWalks leaders across the country? What's that experience been like? And and what are their stories? Yeah, one of the most powerful things I think about NAMIWalks is that every event in every community is just full of stories, and I have the privilege of working with our field leaders across the country every single day. So I get to hear so many of those stories firsthand. So you meet people and they're walking not only for themselves, but for a loved one or someone that they've lost. And for many, these events are sometimes the first time that they felt really comfortable talking about it openly. And so what I hear from our field leaders is that it's not just an event, it's this moment where people are feeling seen and supported, but it's also what makes their work possible. So NAMIWalks is how so many affiliates fund their programs locally. I had a leader share that after joining the NAMIWalks program, the funds that they raised were enough to hire a development staff person for the first time, which means they're now going to be able to grow and reach more people in their community for the years to come. And then, you know, there are moments that you actually get to see firsthand. I was at NAMIWalks Indiana last year where I got to meet a walker, and she was the last person to cross the finish line, and she came alone. But on the route, connected with this big group of very vibrant people, and they were cheering her on at the finish line and waited for her to cross. And she showed up alone. But she left a part of this community, and it was honestly one of the most beautiful things I've seen in almost 20 years of doing walks was just this recognition of you are not alone. You can come as an individual, but you leave a part of something so much bigger. Yes, yes, so well put, so well put. You know, we, we have another phrase that we often refer to. It's an African proverb. "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." And that's what this represents, going together. Speaking about that, Mary, why is it so important to get out into the community and hold a visible and active event like NAMIWalks? Yeah. That visibility, it's just incredibly important, especially, I think, when it comes to mental health, because I think for so many years people have just felt like they've had to struggle in silence and internalize it. And so when something like a NAMIWalk shows up in a community and it's vibrating, colorful and so welcoming, and when you see hundreds or even thousands of people coming together, I think it sends a really powerful message that you're not alone and this matters. And it's okay to be a part of something bigger. And I think it just helps normalize those conversations in a very public way. And it just kind of gives people that permission to not only talk about what they're going through, but that permission to support someone else more openly as well. So beyond the awareness, which is wonderful for what we're trying to build, it also really creates that connection and it brings people into community. And that's such a critical part of mental health. So it's visible, but it's lasting. It breaks the stigma in that moment, being there on walk day. But I think it also opens the door for just more understanding and support and for people getting the help that they need. Yeah, I think you-- Thank you very much, Mary. You pretty much answered the second part of my question, but I want to go to it anyway. And that is, what do you believe is the impact of that visibility in our communities, of the visibility of NAMIWalks in our communities? Yeah, I think it really is that sense of not being alone. It's that mental health for all mentality that you are bigger and prouder together. And what we can build moving forward is unstoppable when a community comes together behind a common cause. Yeah. And you know, you mentioned me going to several of the walks and I'm going to a walk in in May and will try to participate in several throughout the balance of the year. And I will tell you that what's also interesting at the number of walks I went to last year is as you're walking around and you're hearing conversations, people that came out for the walk but don't necessarily know each other, and all of a sudden they're talking about the experience in their family and say,"oh, really?" And they're connecting. And it's like it's almost the visual of, I'm experiencing the same thing you are. So that element that we have, "you're not alone" is really realized at our walks where people are talking and their lived experiences or their family members' lived experiences become so real from the standpoint living with, succeeding with, navigating with. And this person is talking to another person saying, "Wow, really? I'm not alone." So it's really cool to see. It's really cool to see and it's very energizing and it gives people so much hope. Yes, you can read the statistics. You know, how much mental health impacts people in your communities, but to physically be in a space together, to see the visual representation is so moving. And I always tell each and every one of our walk managers across the country that you have to pause for a moment on walk day because they're moving around, getting everything coordinated and they're busy, but you have to pause for a second and just look at the crowd and realize what you've built and brought together for people in that moment. You know, and as you spoke about the walks team, you're absolutely right. You do have to pause and you have to you know, you've done so much work, your team has done so much work in the coordination and the development and the support of creating that local event. And then they're there doing a lot of work on the ground so they don't take that moment. So, you know, kudos to your leadership for really suggesting, pause for a minute. Breathe and look at what you've developed in partnership with the local community. So that's good council. So as we move on, I wanted to ask you about a very special day that's coming up. It's called the United Day of Hope and it's coming up soon. Would you tell us more about that event, Mary? I'd be happy to. It's coming up very soon. The season just seems to be flying by. But yes, United Day of Hope is a very special day for the NAMIWalks program, and we actually have two of them. So we have one coming up in May, like you mentioned on May 16th. And then our fall season also hosts one this year it'll be on October 10th. So they were originally created back in the pandemic to bring the entire NAMIWalks community together when we couldn't gather in person. And so while now that we're back in live and in person, while not every NAMIWalks event happens on those exact dates anymore, they've really kind of become a movement of their own. And they're staying with us as a connection across the country. Because what I love, what the United Day of Hope symbolizes, is it reminds us that we're bigger than any one walk or any single community. We're part of this national movement, and it's just kind of a chance to, again, pause and reflect and recognize the impact that we're making together and not just in our individual communities. So it's a very, very special day that the majority of our walks do host their events. United Day of Hope. United Day of Hope. May 16th. Yep. Thank you very much. So. May I ask you, how can listeners, Mary get involved with NAMIWalks? Yeah. So I think the easiest way to get started is just to see and find a walk in their community. So you can go to namiwalks.org. We have more than 200 across the country with both that spring and fall season, so there's just lots of opportunities to participate. So whether you registered a walk or join a team or support somebody that you know is participating. For companies, there's lots of ways to get involved, whether that's sponsoring or forming a team or even just engaging their employees in a really meaningful way around mental health. So donate. Volunteer, simply helping spread the word. It all makes such a huge difference. And I always say that just showing up matters. Your presence helps create that sense of community that just supports someone else. So however you choose to get involved, there's so many different ways namiwalks.org and you can help move this movement forward. NAMIwalks.org. to all of our listeners. Go to NAMIWalks.org. And if you have been involved in a walk and you brought others with you, continue to do that. If you've come to a walk and you haven't brought someone, bring someone to the next one. It is a lot of energy. It's engaging, it is caring. And you will enjoy it so very much and it just fills you. It fills your spirit with so much hope and energy and it's really very special. So Mary, thank you so very much for this overview. And we wrap up our podcast by asking our guests a question at the end. And here's the question we'd like to pose to you. The world can be and is a difficult place, and sometimes it can be hard to hold on to hope. So we wrap up the episode and dedicate the last couple of minutes of our podcast to a special segment called Hold On to Hope. Mary, what helps you hold on to Hope? Such a good question. For me, I'd have to say it's my kids. I'm a very proud mom of two boys. They're almost 16 and 12 now, which is hard to say, but they give me hope every single day. And it's not just them, it's their generations and how they're showing up. Gen Z and Alpha. They don't just care about causes. They see them as part of who they are, as part of their identity and mental health, we're so fortunate, is such a big part of that. They talk about it more openly. They support each other in ways that I know we didn't see growing up, and they're just not afraid to say that they're struggling. And it's so empowering to see the next generation openly discussing this. And, you know, professionally, we see it reflected in the work that we're doing with NAMI Next Gen as well. And this next generation they're stepping in, they're using their voices, and they're really leading the conversation in a different way. And I see it in a way that they expect the world around them to do better and to be better, and they're not waiting for somebody else to fix it. They're stepping in and stepping up, and they are pushing for change. And so watching my kids grow up with that mindset that gives me so much hope, because this isn't a generation that's going to accept the status quo. They are--they're ready to reshape it. They are absolutely ready to reshape it. And as a parent to a parent, you know, thank you for sharing a little bit about your boys and our young people in terms of how they're challenging the status quo. And to your 16 and I think it's 12-year-old? Sixteen and 12. Yeah. High school and middle school going on. So you're navigating quite a bit. And thank you for sharing that. And our young people are very vested and they want to see the status quo change. And they want to see the evolution of what we're what we see in terms of mental illness and mental health. And so it's really cool to see their energy and their passion. So thank you for sharing that and what gives you hope, Mary. So Mary is our Director of Field Resource Development, leads our NAMIWalks organization and has done a great job. And as she shared with you, with over 200 walks and over 16 million raised, we're looking to actually increase the number of walks and the revenue generated because it helps every one of the organizations that host to walk. So as we wrap up, this has been Hope Starts With Us, a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If you're looking for mental health resources, you are not alone. To connect with the NAMI HelpLine and find local resources, visit NAMI.org/help. Text NAMI to 62640 or dial 800 950 NAMI. Or if you're experiencing an immediate suicide, substance use or mental health crisis, please call or text 988 to speak with a trained support specialist or visit 988lifeline. I'm Dan Gilison, your host. Thanks for listening and be well.