Ninth Annual NAMIWalks Silicon Valley Takes Place This Saturday in History Park

Annual event benefits NAMI Santa Clara County’s mental health programs

SAN JOSE, CA, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Santa Clara County, will hold its annual fundraiser, NAMIWalks Silicon Valley, this Saturday, October 5, in San Jose’s History Park. Expected to draw over 1,000 participants, the walk is NAMI Santa Clara’s ONLY fundraising event, providing critical unrestricted funds to support its free programs for those dealing with mental illness as well as their families, including education, support groups, a Helpline, and its unrivaled Community Peer Program.

“In my three decades of clinical practice, I have relied on NAMI again and again as a beacon of light for people with mental illness and their families,” says this year’s annual event chair, Dr. Anna Lembke, Chief of Stanford’s Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnostic Clinic. “NAMI is not just a source of valuable, hard-won information, but also a de-stigmatizing, de-shaming community that heals as well as informs.”

Keynote Speaker, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, adds, “Coming together in forums like NAMIWalks gives us an opportunity to talk about a matter that affects each and every one of us: mental health. As a parent, educator, and education leader, I see how young people and families are impacted. Good mental health allows us to thrive, to face challenges with resilience, and to enjoy life.”

The ninth annual NAMIWalks Silicon Valley begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5th in San Jose’s History Park with registration and a short program featuring speakers and a ceremonial release of doves to commemorate those who have lost their lives to mental illness. A countdown kicks off the walk at 10:30 a.m., followed by festivities including sponsor tents, team photos, a social media photo booth, a Kids Zone, and food trucks. Live music from Night Owls will play on the Main Stage. In addition, all San Jose History museums will be open, including gift shops and O’Brien’s Ice Cream Shop.

NAMI Santa Clara County is the largest NAMI affiliate in Northern California, and all money raised by NAMIWalks Silicon Valley stays in Santa Clara County. Organizers have set their sights on raising $300,000, approximately $120,000 of which has already been committed by event sponsors, including longtime supporters and Presenting Sponsors Virginie and John Mitchem, and Meir and Navah Statman. Participants can walk individually or in teams and earn prizes, ranging from event T-shirts to LCD projectors and AirPods, for the money they raise. The fundraising period is open through December 5th.

To join NAMIWalks, visit namiwalks.org/siliconvalley. There is no registration fee, but fundraising is encouraged.

EVENT DETAILS
When: Saturday, October 5, 2024
8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Where: History Park
635 Phelan Ave.
San José, CA 95112

Terry Downing
PRxDigital
+1 408-838-3705
terry_downing@prxdigital.com