NAMI MISSION AND HISTORY NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, is a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons and their families affected by mental illness through support, education, advocacy, and research. NAMI CCNS is a grass roots organization and an affiliate of the NAMI National organization. Our affiliate was started in the early 1990’s by a group of family members who were all dealing with the challenges of loved ones with mental illness. They offered a Family to Family class and that was the beginning of our affiliate, which now serves over 17 communities in our catchment area. We now offer free of charge not only Family to Family but also Basics for Parents classes, and Balance for Success, peer groups and family support groups. We host bimonthly education meetings and advocate for individuals with mental illness. People who have taken our classes and attended our support groups constantly comment about their positive experiences and how NAMI has helped them put their lives back together again. In 2007 after a successful gala, we were able to open our first office in Northfield and hire an Executive Director and staff. In 2014 we moved our office to the Turning Point building in Skokie, where we serve hundreds of families dealing with mental illness. As an organization, we use a collaborative model, using each other’s strengths to find ways to fulfill our mission every day.