Partner Spotlight: NAMI North Central Washington
Building a Culture of Belonging
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time that has been recognized across the country for decades to reduce stigma, share knowledge, and support people navigating mental health challenges. This year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is sharing a simple yet powerful message: Stigma grows in silence. Healing begins in community.
It’s a message that feels especially true in our region, where distance, geography, and culture can sometimes make it harder to speak up or know where to turn for support.
A Local Effort with a Growing Reach
NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, consisting of more than 650 local affiliates and 49 state organizations who are raising awareness and increasing support for those affected by mental illness. While the barriers people face can look different from one community to the next, one thing stays consistent; mental health improves when people feel connected, seen, and supported.
Here in North Central Washington, that sense of connection has been growing for decades. NAMI has served Chelan and Douglas counties since 1984, bringing the trusted programs and events the organization is known for nationwide into our local communities. From peer-led support groups to educational workshops and community gatherings, these offerings create space for people to share their experiences and find connection close to home. In 2023, they began expanding into Grant and Okanogan counties, growing to serve the full region.
Turning Outreach Into Action
Since then, the local leaders and volunteers who make up NAMI NCWA have been actively engaging new communities across the region while strengthening their existing presence in Chelan and Douglas counties.
Thriving Together NCW’s 2025 Vital Conditions Grant has supported this momentum, allowing NAMI NCWA to deepen its work across all four counties. With this support, they’ve been able to increase their outreach, strengthen partnerships with local organizations and create more opportunities for community members to get involved in this work.
Alongside providing direct support for those experiencing mental health challenges, NAMI NCWA is also focused on reaching people earlier, before a crisis begins. Through prevention and education, they are helping community members better understand their own mental health, recognize when someone else might be struggling, and feel confident speaking up and sharing their stories.
That same focus on empowerment is also showing up in how local voices are being brought into advocacy by giving people the tools to turn their own experiences into meaningful change. Earlier this year, four of NAMI NCWA’s members traveled to Olympia to meet with state legislators and gain hands-on advocacy experience through grant support from Thriving Together NCW. For many, it was their first time participating in this kind of effort.
“We were able to help people in our membership have a better understanding of how their voice does matter and that our representatives are there to hear from us,” said Bethany Thrasher, NAMI NCWA’s Immediate Past President and current Secretary.
Something powerful begins to take shape when people move from feeling like observers to realizing they can actively participate in creating change. It transforms the way they see themselves in their community.
“What’s really vital with that kind of work is having your own story to share,” Bethany emphasized while explaining that a core component in preparing for the trip included building story-telling skills and confidence. Together, the group learned how to shape their experiences into messages that would resonate with decision-makers.
Those stories matter. They build understanding and they remind us that real change often starts with people being willing to speak honestly about their experiences.
Building Spaces Where People Belong
Alongside their advocacy work, NAMI NCWA has been focused on making their programs more accessible and inclusive. One example is their growing bilingual outreach. They now host a monthly bilingual support group in partnership with CAFÉ (Community for the Advancement of Family Education). This partnership merges NAMI NCWA’s mental health support models and it’s local volunteers with CAFÉ’s deep connections to the culturally diverse communities here in North Central Washington.
“We are so grateful for our partnership with CAFÉ and our incredible volunteers who are facilitating the support group.”
A Chance to Show Up Together
Later this month, the community will have a chance to come together in a visible and meaningful way at NAMI NCWA’s annual NAMIWalks event. Taking place on Saturday, May 30th in Wenatchee, community members are invited to participate in a 1.6 mile walk or a 5K run starting at Walla Walla Park and continuing along the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. Afterward, there will be a community health fair where attendees can connect with local organizations, access resources, and enjoy food from local vendors. Families can also stop by the Town Toyota Center (just across the street) for free helmets and life jackets for kids.
This year also marks an important step forward for NAMI NCWA and their dedication to engaging new communities across the region as they will be hosting their first NAMIWalks event in Grant County on the same day.
More than anything, these events are about connection. We often assume supporting our mental health and each other requires big, dramatic changes, but being proactive can be as simple as showing up and spending time with others in a shared space. These small, intentional moments of connection help build a sense of belonging, which can make a meaningful difference long before someone reaches a point of crisis.
If you have been looking for a way to get involved, this is a great place to start, whether you walk, run, volunteer, or simply want to come and be part of the community. When we support and show up to these kinds of events, we are actively shaping spaces where connection is the norm and where people don’t have to wait until they are struggling to feel supported.
Get Involved
Showing up in this space is not going to look the same for everyone. For some, it might mean finding support in a group setting. For others, it could be volunteering, sharing a story, or advocating for change. If you want to learn more about NAMI NCWA, explore their programs, or find other ways to get involved, we encourage you to visit their website and see what’s happening right here in our region.
Interested in taking a more active role in shaping NAMI NCWA’s efforts? Consider attending their annual member meeting on May 7th, 2026 to learn more about joining their board of directors.