2023: As of 7/19/23 (2 months after walk day) Faith Connections on Mental Illness (FCMI) was the first-place fundraising team out of 130 total teams in NAMIWalks NC 2023, held May 20, 2023. FCMI is a Chapel Hill-based interfaith non-profit dedicated to supporting the efforts of faith communities as they help battle the stigma and isolation the mental illness too often engenders. Seventeen registered FCMI walkers collected $11,729. FCMI’s top individual fundraiser – Geetha Balagopal – was also the event’s top fundraiser out of 1132 participants, receiving $6075 in donations. NAMIWalks North Carolina raised $1154.467 (103% of goal) as part of the nation's largest mental health awareness and fundraising event. We THANK all walkers and supporters!! #Together4MH
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A huge THANK YOU to all walkers and donors who once again pushed the FCMI NAMIWalks team to first place!
On 5/20/2023, Faith Connections fielded its 10th NAMIWalks team!
 
​Click here to view walk day pictures

Watch this space below for information on the 2024 NAMIWalks, which will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024. 
NAMIWalks NC will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024      #Together4MH
FREE to Walk - Any $ donation welcome!!
Location TBA:
Hopefully downtown Raleigh
9 am -
​1 pm
.  
Flexible Route Length
​Walk & Fun Activities
Shorter Route Available
Stroller, Wheelchair,
& Scooter Accessible.
​Leashed dogs welcome!

In 2024, Faith Connections will field its 11 th NAMIWalks team! 
Below are fliers/info from the 2023 walk. Info for 2024 will be published when available​

Team Captain Kim Batson will donate $10 to anyone who joins the team!
  • Sign up as a team member. It is FREE!  Even if you can't physically walk with us, join the team for moral support.
  • Any donation - no matter how small - is welcome. 
Our dynamo fundraiser, Geetha Balagopal, was featured in a podcast. Here what she said about why NAMIWalks is so important. https://myndstories.com/allpodcast/the-incredible-resilience-of-life-with-geetha-balagopal/

In 2023, Faith Connections will field its 10th NAMIWalks team! 

On May 20, 2023, join with hundreds of individuals and teams from across the state to raise awareness of mental health challenges and issues while raising funds for NAMI North Carolia and local affiliates. 

By supporting NAMI and its free programs, we can open doors, providing access to individuals from every walk of life to the mental health resources and community support they deserve.

FCMI fields an interfaith team for individuals who do not have a faith community or whose faith community is not participating.

For more information, contact Kim Batson at
​kmccbat@aol.com or 919-265-9820.
FCMI teams have been enthusiastically walking and fundraising for NAMIWalks since 2014. Averaging over $10,341 each year for each of the past five years. We were the top fundraising team in 2022, 2021 and 2020, and the 2nd place team in 2019 and 2018.    
                            NAMIWalks NC 2023 At-A-Glance
  • Saturday, May 20, 2023 
  • Individuals, congregations, businesses, non-profits, groups: all are invited to join us. ​
  • NAMIWalks raises awareness and funds for mental illness.
  • Everyone is invited to walk with the Faith Connections on Mental Illness team.
  • If your faith community does not have a team, or if you don’t have a faith community – we want you to join us!
  • There is no charge to participate.
  • Click here to support an individual
    (scroll down to Roster)
  • Click here to sign up as a walker on the FCMI team. Click TEAM MEMBER even if you cannot join us in person on Walk Day and will walk individually or in spirit.  
  • ​Need help signing up or just want more information: contact Kim Batson (Team Captain) at: kmccbat@aol.com or 919-265-9820.​.
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BULLETIN BLURB (please copy, personalize, and post in your own bulletin, newsletter, etc.)

To raise awareness and funds for mental illness, NAMIWalks Your Way will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Perimeter Park in Morrisville, NC.  Faith Connections on Mental Illness invites all individuals, congregations, organizations to join our team. There is no cost to participate. Individuals who raise $100 in contributions will receive a free NAMIWalks T-shirt from event organizers. Even if you can’t walk, donations are gratefully accepted. To learn more, contact Kim Batson at kmccbat@aol.com; 919-265-9820. To register or donate, go to this link or click the QR Code:
​ https://www.namiwalks.org/team/FCMI 
2022: Faith Connections on Mental Illness (FCMI) was the first-place fundraising team out of 117 total teams in NAMIWalks NC 2022, held May 21, 2022. FCMI is a Chapel Hill-based interfaith non-profit dedicated to supporting the efforts of faith communities as they help battle the stigma and isolation the mental illness too often engenders. Eighteen registered FCMI walkers collected $13,115. FCMI’s top individual fundraiser – Geetha Balagopal – was also the event’s top fundraiser out of 734 participants, receiving $8,685 in donations. NAMIWalks North Carolina raised $130k as part of the nation's largest mental health awareness and fundraising event.    
In 2022, FCMI's team collected $13,115.
​FCMI’s top individual fundraiser – Geetha Balagopal – was also NAMIWalks top fundraiser out of over 734 participants, receiving $8,685 in donations. 

Every journey begins with that first step.

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Every year, thousands of concerned citizens in nearly 80 communities across the nation will walk together to raise money and awareness about our country's need for a world-class treatment and recovery system for people with mental illness. Over 1100 people joined the North Carolina NAMIWalks in 2019, including many members of Faith Connections on Mental Illness representing their own organization or faith community. We invite all to join us!

  • Click here to learn more about NAMI, a state-wide, nation-wide, and world-wide organization for change.​
  • Click here for information about NAMI North Carolina.
Join us today!
NAMI depends on generous volunteers to raise funds and awareness at each of our Walk sites.