Upcoming Events
1. General Meeting
- Board member election
- NAMI @ Work presentation
Date: Tuesday, March 11
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM
See details
2. NAMI-SCC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
Date: Thursday, April 10
Time: 10:30 AM until 1:00 PM
See details
NAMI Convention June 11–13
Charitable Giving
Anytime you sell appreciated stock, you’ll owe capital gains tax. But by gifting the stock to a qualified charity, you might be able to avoid paying capital gains tax, thereby increasing the value of your gift.
Upcoming Mental Health 101
VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS
Dates:
- Thursday August 21
- Thursday November 20
Time: 11: 30 AM – 1: 00 PM
March 2025
NAMI-SCC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
We are thrilled to invite you to celebrate NAMI-Santa Clara County’s 50th Anniversary with us! It’s going to be a day filled with heartfelt moments, inspiring speakers, exciting activities, and a chance to connect with friends and supporters of mental health advocacy.
An opportunity to help NAMI-SCC continue its mission to provide education, advocacy, and support in our community. This is an event you won’t want to miss!We look forward to celebrating 50 years of making a difference in the lives of individuals and families impacted by mental health.
Date & Time: Thursday, April 10, 2025, 10:30am to 1:00pm
Location: Villa Ragusa, 35 South Second Street, Campbell, CA 95008
Check details and buy tickets here
Upcoming March 11 General Meeting
1. Election of Board Officers for 2025-2026
Here is the slate of candidates for board officers for 2025-2026:
President: Uday Kapoor
VPs: Beverly Lozoff, Juan Perez, Frank Alioto, Moryt Milo
Treasurer: Scott Whelton
Secretary: Peter Newman
The slate will be voted on at the March Board Meeting and installation of officers will take place in April.
2. NAMI @ Work Presentation
Our work environment has a huge impact on us. It is imperative for our workplaces to be mentally healthy and supportive. Businesses everywhere can support their employees by becoming a StigmaFree Company—a company with a culture of openness, acceptance, and understanding about employees’ overall health and well-being.
March’s General Meeting will feature a presentation by NAMI-SCC’s Community and Media Relations Liaison, Tiffany Austin, as she discusses mental health in the workplace. The presentation will address work policies that are considerate of mental health, ways to decrease stigma in the workplace, and how to appropriately show support to employees.
Please register for March’s General Meeting and participate in the election of our new Board Officers.
February 11 General Meeting Recap
Peer-to-Peer & Family-to-Family NAMI Education Programs
Every year, NAMI-SCC presents the Community Merit Award to an individual or organization that has made a significant impact on mental health in our community.
During the February General Meeting, NAMI-SCC President Uday Kapoor presented the award to our 2024 recipient, Joe Simitian. He has held several public service roles, including his most recent one as supervisor on Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors. During his time in these roles, he has partnered with NAMI-SCC numerous times to advocate for mental health rights and resources.
For the main presentation of the evening, NAMI-SCC staff members facilitated a presentation that highlighted two signature NAMI education programs: Peer-to-Peer and Family-to-Family. Sarah Prabhu and Barbara Thompson discussed Peer-to-Peer, a 9-session recovery-focused course for adults with mental health conditions. Two class graduates, Merry and Ethan, spoke about their experiences with mental health and how Peer-to-Peer played a supportive role.
Adela Arce presented Family-to-Family, a 9-session course for families and friends of loved ones 18 and over living with mental health conditions. Sylvia and Patrick Robbins shared their experience with Family-to-Family, as they support their loved one living with a mental health condition. Their journey featured challenges but also hope, thanks to this supportive network.
NAMIWalks Silicon Valley 2025
Registration Now Open!
The NAMIWalks Silicon Valley page is officially live, and registration is open! Join us for this important event as we come together to raise awareness for mental health, show support for those affected by mental health, and fundraise for NAMI-Santa Clara County’s vital programs.
Whether you’re walking in honor of a loved one or simply want to be part of the movement, your participation makes a difference. Gather your team, sign up today, and help us reach our fundraising goal!
Calling All Team Captains: Register and fundraise $50+ by July 4th to win this fabulous tote bag!
For more information, contact Kristina Alaniz at kalaniz@namisantaclara.org or 408-453-0400 ext. 3125.
NAMI-SCC Launches New Fundraising Program
NAMI Do It Your Way
We’re excited to announce the launch of a brand-new fundraising opportunity: NAMI Do It Your Way! This customizable program empowers you to raise funds in a way that’s meaningful to you while supporting NAMI Santa Clara County’s mission to provide free mental health support, education, and advocacy within our community.
NAMI Do It Your Way encourages supporters to turn their passions and hobbies into fundraising campaigns. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, hosting an athletic event, or organizing an activity like baking, crafting, or knitting, you can design your own unique fundraiser.
The best part? 100% of the funds you raise stays local, directly supporting our community.
Getting started is easy! Simply visit our website to select from six campaign types, set your personal fundraising goal, and create a custom campaign link. You’ll gain access to a personal fundraising dashboard and a participant guidebook to help you every step of the way.
What will your “Do It Your Way” campaign look like? We can’t wait to find out! Reach out if you have any questions—we’re here to support you on this exciting journey.
For more information, contact Kristina Alaniz at kalaniz@namisantaclara.org or (408) 453-0400 ext. 3125.
Click here to Get your Do It Your Way campaign started today!
Grande Club Achievement for NAMIWalks Silicon Valley
We are thrilled to announce that NAMIWalks Silicon Valley 2024 has once again achieved an incredible milestone! Our efforts have earned us a spot among the top eleven NAMIWalks nationwide, a remarkable achievement that distinguishes our event from our affiliates’ events!
The top Walks of 2024, raising $250,000 or more, collectively raised $4.7 million across the nation, representing nearly one-third of the total Walk program revenue to date. This success is a testament to your dedication and hard work in raising awareness for mental health and supporting NAMI-Santa Clara County’s vital efforts. We cannot do this without you!
As we look ahead to 2025 and the continued growth of our programs and this impactful event, we thank you for your commitment to making a difference in our community and beyond. Here’s to even greater success in the year ahead! We look forward to walking with you on October 4 at NAMIWalks Silicon Valley 2025!
Reflections on 50 Years
By Frank Alioto
On April 30, NAMI-Santa Clara County will celebrate its 50th year of service and mental health advocacy for the people of Santa Clara County. Fifty years is certainly a milestone. It is the type of anniversary that causes folks to pause and reflect on accomplishments of bygone years.
There have been many for this NAMI affiliate ranging from telephone helplines for those needing assistance with mental health matters to outreach to underserved minority communities in the valley to strident legislative outreach aimed at elected leaders at town, country, state, and federal levels.
I have a feeling that 50 years ago the NAMI-SCC founders had hopes that mental health challenges would be “cured” by now. After all, man had already walked on the moon, and a place called “Silicon Valley” was on the rise with promise of great discoveries for mankind. Fifty years later, we have learned that mankind’s inner space is far more complex than its outer space and will be more difficult and expensive to “conquer.”
We still have a long, difficult road of discovery and medical challenges ahead of us. Until, if ever, cures are found for mental illnesses, NAMI-SCC looks forward to serving those in our community with support, direction, and resources to enrich and help individuals and families.
Volunteer Spotlight: Steve and Diane Ringer
Steve and Diane Ringer are our newest Helpline volunteers. They reached out to NAMI for help several years ago when in crisis and joined the Family-to-Family class and the Families of Vision faith-based support group. Diane has since trained as a support group facilitator.
Both retired three years ago, Steve worked as a general contractor and Diane as a medical social worker. They enjoy time with friends, family, and especially their 3 1/2-year-old grandson.
Now with more time, they wanted to give back to the place and people who helped and continue to help them through the journey of mental illness. Never give up, there is always hope!
Cheers to Our Volunteers
A Brunch of Gratitude & Celebration!
On January 25, NAMI-Santa Clara County hosted a heartfelt Volunteer Appreciation Brunch, where nearly 50 volunteers came together to celebrate their dedication and contributions to our cause. The event was filled with warmth, gratitude, and a sense of community.
Guests enjoyed a delicious brunch while engaging in meaningful conversations, sharing stories, and reflecting on the impact of their volunteer work. The morning included a special presentation highlighting the incredible achievements and milestones from the past year, followed by moments of connection.
The gathering was a true celebration of the spirit of service, as volunteers bonded over their shared commitment to mental health advocacy. It was a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of everyone who helps further NAMI-Santa Clara County’s mission, and we are grateful for their unwavering support.
Thank you to all who attended—your dedication truly makes a difference! We look forward to continuing this journey together.
