NAMI Announces Pivotal Investment in Mental Health Support and Advocacy from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

Posted on September 29, 2022

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the largest grassroots mental health organization in the nation, today announced a $30 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This is the largest contribution to NAMI in the organization’s history.

NAMI will set aside $5 million of the gift for its grassroots affiliates to maximize their ability to support the communities they serve. This investment demonstrates NAMI’s commitment to amplify its grassroots capacity and scale its peer-led education programs.

In 2020, one in five U.S. adults experienced a mental illness. More than half of U.S. adults with a mental illness did not receive treatment. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10-14.

“We are deeply grateful for the MacKenzie Scott gift,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. “In NAMI’s more than 40-year history, we have dedicated ourselves to building better lives for the millions of Americans impacted by mental illness. With this transformational gift, we will be able to ensure that Americans across the country receive the help they need, when and where they need it.

“Mental health is health, and this gift will contribute to our ongoing work to change the way mental health care is delivered in this country,” Gillison said. “More and more people are now asking for help, and NAMI is going to ensure there is help available.” 

NAMI emphasizes lived experience through its free education programs and support groups to ensure that no one feels alone. NAMI will continue to work with our longstanding, generous donors, partners and advocates to create a world free of stigma and discrimination against mental illness — a world where everyone has access to quality mental health care.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

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