Just In Time For End-Of-Year Giving: NAMI Named One Of Nation’s Best Charities

Posted on December 10, 2001

Arlington, VA - The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is rated as one of the nation's "100 Best Charities" by Worthmagazine-in a cover story that appears on newsstands this week.

"NAMI is honored to be one of the nation's best," said NAMI executive director Richard C. Birkel, Ph.D. "We also are proud to be the nation's largest grassroots organization dedicated solely to improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses. We represent consumers and families who often face desperate circumstances. The need is great. We have many fine colleagues. Broad public support is essential to all our work."

"Donors to NAMI become partners investing in recovery," Birkel said. "We are grateful for both their support and their trust. We work hard to keep it. We hope the Worth list will lead many more people to make that investment."

Worth reported that 83 dollars out of every hundred donated to NAMI go directly to programs, which include support, education, research, and advocacy involving schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic depression), major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and severe anxiety disorders.

Written for personal investors, the magazine investigated hundreds of non-profit charities and interviewed dozens of philanthropy experts in compiling the "100 Best" list -- looking not only at annual reports, tax returns and statements, but also at what each charity does and whether or not it has significant impact. Only national charities were considered.

NAMI has 220,000 members nationally and approximately 1200 state and local affiliates. "We welcome support at every level," Birkel said.

The "100 Best Charities" list is divided into 5 categories: health, human services, relief and development, the environment, and education organizations. NAMI is one of 27 organizations included in the health field.