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Local Businesses Help NAMI Raise Awareness, Money For Mental Health

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) specializes in helping those who suffer from mental illness

Columbia, SC---(WLTX) — With the sudden deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, mental illness has become a more talked about problem for Americans.

One national organization that has ties to the Midlands specializes in helping those that suffer from mental illness.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is looking to increase funds and raise awareness about mental health.

Zenethia Brown, Executive Director at NAMI Mid Carolina, has suffered from anxiety most of her life and she understands the dangers and the cost of mental illness.

"It’s very sad it’s very devastating, it’s something that needs to be address," Brown said. "Mental health is a very expensive health issue to have.”

According to NAMI's website, one in five Americans will deal with at least one mental health issue in their lifetime.

Since joining NAMI, Brown says she has seen an increase in mental health awareness.

“People are being more open about the conversation," Brown said. "That’s not necessarily a result of anything local that is going on, a lot of it is because celebrities are coming out admitting that they have bipolar disorder, and they have suffered from some form of mental illness."

Local businesses have started to partner with NAMI in an attempt to raise funds and awareness. This month, Revente in Five Points is donating 20% of their Kate Spade product proceeds to NAMI's national organization.

Heather Burns, owner of Revente, says the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain to mental illness influenced her and her store to act.

“With Kate Spade being such an important part of the fashion industry we just felt it was important to help raise awareness," Burns said. "We’ve lost a lot of really influential members in our community so we just felt that we had to do something to help."

Although the proceeds made at Revente are going towards the national chapter, Brown still appreciates local businesses making an effort.

"It’s helping people to come out of their shell and say hey this is what I’m going through and when local businesses and local organizations put it out there, and make people aware of it, it is breaking down those stigmas surrounding mental illness.” Brown said.

NAMI Mid Carolina hosts education sessions on mental illness every second Tuesday of each month. For more info, visit https://namimid-carolina.org/ .

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