WHAT IS NAMI VIRGINIA? The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia (NAMI Virginia) was created in 1984 to provide support, education, and advocacy for individuals and families in Virginia affected by mental illness. Along with our community-based affiliates, we provide education, support, information, training, and resources, and engage in systems change policy advocacy. NAMI Virginia is located in Richmond, Virginia, where we are appropriately situated in close proximity to the Virginia General Assembly and the state government. OUR MISSION AND VISION Our mission is to promote recovery and improve the quality of life of Virginians with serious mental illness through support, education, and advocacy. We envision a world where all people affected by mental illness get the hope, help, and support that they need. WE ARE PART OF NAMI NAMI has more than 220,000 members and 1,200 state and local affiliates nationwide. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses. Funding sources for NAMI programs include hundreds of state and local governments and foundations; tens of thousands of individual donors; and a growing number of corporations. NAMI’s greatest asset, however, is its volunteers, who donate an estimated $135 million worth of their time each year to education, support, and advocacy. NAMI Virginia’s 14 local affiliates play an active role providing support, education, and advocacy at the community level. They operate support groups to let people know they are not alone and to be there with information and support when needed. For more information about NAMI Virginia, please visit our website at www.namivirginia.org.