A walk in the park supports mental health awareness

May is National Mental Health Awareness month, and at the end of April, members of the Jewish community participated with about 400 others in a NAMI walk at Crane's Roost Park in Altamonte Springs. The group, "Team Andy," was one of 63 teams who came out to show support and help bring awareness to mental illness.

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness and is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Heritage publisher Jeff Gaeser and his wife, Marci, who were on Team Andy, participated in the walk in support of many families in the Jewish community who have been devastated by mental illness in their families. Team Andy raised $7,211, the third highest fundraising group in the walk. The monies raised fund NAMI's free programs, which let people know they are not alone.

NAMI was birthed around a kitchen table in 1979 as a small group of families wanted to join forces against the epidemic of mental illness. Today it is an alliance of more than 600 local affiliates who work in many communities, including Orlando, to raise awareness and provide support and education to those in need. On May 22, NAMIWalks is planning a "NAMIWalks Your Way: A United Day of Hope" for people across the country to show their support for NAMI's top-rated programs that help families and individuals who are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.

To learn more about NAMI and read more about Team Andy, visit Http://www.namiwalks.org/team/42113.