As a volunteer at NAMI Collier, I had the privilege and honor of serving as the event chair for the organization’s annual Hope Shines Dinner in February. This year’s theme “Driving Change for Mental Health” dove into the pressures of the professional sports world, with special guest speaker LPGA star Lexi Thompson. She talked about her struggles with maintaining her mental well-being while competing as a professional golfer from the age of 15.
Like golf, life has its fair share of rough patches and missed shots. But with every new tee shot, there’s a chance to feel good by sinking a hole-in-one. This also applies to mental health.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a driving force in addressing the challenges faced by millions of people living with mental health conditions nationwide. Now, more than ever, NAMI Collier needs you to be part of this movement.
Statistics show that one in four people struggle with mental health. Our neighbors struggle with it; people in our family and friends struggle with it. My husband is a military veteran, and as such, I am aware of the mental health struggles veterans in particular face. According to the National Institutes of Health nearly one in three veterans are dealing with mental health issues.
Getting rid of the stigma and talking about it, as well as supporting organizations like NAMI Collier that are creating lasting change, is important.
NAMI Collier is small, yet mighty. Their passion for making positive changes for those dealing with mental health issues is significant. The organization reaches an overwhelming number of people, including both children and adults.
NAMI Collier is part of a larger movement that believes mental health is health. They manage the community’s mental health needs daily and have done so for generations. Through education programs, peer-led support groups and advocacy, NAMI Collier equips individuals and families with practical tools and something just as powerful: hope. When people walk into a NAMI Collier program, they are met without judgment. They are heard. They learn that what they’re experiencing has a name, that help exists and that recovery is possible.
Exceptional programs are a large part of what makes NAMI Collier a successful organization sought out by those struggling with mental health issues. One of these programs is NAMI Collier’s Children’s Mental Health Program. NAMI Collier’s Children’s Mental Health Program, and programs like it, need the support of the community to help those working to overcome their mental health challenges.
People depend on NAMI Collier for support in their mental health journey, and NAMI Collier doesn’t let them down. NAMI Collier doesn’t let them get lost in the system. They are part of the NAMI Collier family forever.
As a mother of two young children, I feel a responsibility to support organizations like NAMI that strengthen compassionate communities where all people can feel valued and supported.
Our community has always shown up when it counts. Supporting NAMI Collier means standing with neighbors, coworkers, friends and family members who may be struggling quietly. It means acknowledging that mental wellness strengthens our schools, our workforce and our families. It means choosing empathy over fear and action over indifference.
As chair of NAMI Collier’s upcoming Hope Shines Walk, I invite you to take action and support NAMI Collier and those that are dealing with mental health issues by coming out to the annual event on Friday, May 1 at Cambier Park in Naples. This event will raise awareness and funds for NAMI Collier’s no cost mental health programs and services. The walk begins at 5:30 p.m. To register please go to https://namicollier.org/upcoming-events/.
I volunteer with NAMI Collier because I want a community that meets mental health challenges with compassion, education and resolve. With your support and participation on May 1, we can continue to ensure that help is available, stigma is challenged and hope remains at the heart of everything we do.
About the Author
Hewit Hawn Rome is a mental health advocate and volunteer at NAMI Collier. She is a board member and is chair for NAMI Collier’s 2026 Hope Shines Walk.
This article was published in Florida Weekly.
